-;>-*^i-'y- 


JUDAH 


AN    ORIGINAL    PLAY    IN    THREE    ACTS 


BY 

HENRY   ARTHUR  JONES 

AUTHOR    OF    "the    TEMPTER,"     "  THE    MASQUERADERS,"    "  THE    DANCING 

GIRL,"   "the  MIDDLEMAN,"  "THE   CRUSADERS,"    "tHE   CASE 

OF    REBELLIOIS   SUSAN,"    ETC. 


Played  first  on  the  2ist  May,  iSgo,  at  the  Shaftesbury 

Theatre,   London,  under  the  management  of 

Mr.  E.  S.  WiLLARD  and  Mr.  John  Lart 


MACMILLAN   AND   CO. 

AND     LONDON 
1894 


Copyright,  i8g4. 

BY 

Macmillan  &  Co. 


PRINTED    BY   ROBERT    DRUMMOND,    NEW   YORK, 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SANTA  BARBARA  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 


CAST   OF    CHARACTERS   AT   FIRST 
PERFORMANCE 

The  Earl  of  Asgarby     .  Mr.  C.  Fulton. 
Professor    Jopp,   F.R.S., 

F.L.S.,  F.G.S.,  etc.    .     .  Mr.  Sant  Matthews, 

Mr.  Prall Mr.  H.  Cane. 

JuxON  Prall Mr.  F.  Kerr. 

Mr.  D  ETHIC Mr.  Royce  Carle  ion. 

Mr.    Papworthy,    Mayor 

of  Beachampton    .     .     .  Mr.  F.  W.  Thomas. 

Roper Mr.  H.  Harting. 

MORSON,     \  r..       ^  \  . 

>•  Irustees    .     .    \ 
Granger,  )  ( • 

JuDAH  Llewellyn,  Min- 
ister of  the  Welsh  Pres- 
byterian Church,  Beach- 
ampton     Mr.  Willard. 

Lady  Eve Miss  Bessie  Hatton. 

Sophie  Jopp Miss  Gertrude  Warden. 

Mrs.  Prall Miss  A.  Bower ing. 

Vashti  D ethic    .    .     .     .  Miss  Oha  Brandon. 


ACT  I.  "  SHE  IS  ALONE  THE  ARABIAN 
BIRD." 

Scene.  Tapestry-roOiM  at  Asgarby  Castle. 
Eighteen  days  pass. 

ACT    II.     "STAND    SENTINEL." 

Scene.  The   Terrace  and    Old  Norman  Keep, 
Asgarby  Castle. 

One  year  passes. 

ACT    III.     "NOT     POPPY,     NOR 
MANDRAGORA." 

Scene.  Tapestry-room  at  Asgarby  Castle. 

The  whole  of  the  actio/i  takes  place  at  Asgarby  Castle, 
near  the  city  of  Beachampton,  in  the  present  day. 


PREFACE 

The  claim  of  Mr.  Henry  Arthur  Jones's  more 
ambitious  plays  to  rank  as  literature  may  have 
been  in  some  cases  grudgingly  allowed,  but  has  not 
been  seriously  contested.  If  any  doubt  existed  as 
to  their  right  to  be  so  considered,  the  publication 
consecutively  of  Sauifs  and  Sinners,  The  Crusad- 
ers, and  Jiidah  must  have  set  it  at  rest.  As  pict- 
ures of  the  English  life  of  to-day,  these  works  have 
a  fidelity  at  which  the  dramatists  of  previous  cen- 
turies did  not  always  aim,  or,  at  least,  a  prosperity 
to  which  they  did  not  always  attain.  Some  measure 
of  exaggeration  or  accentuation  seems  all  but  indis- 
pensable to  the  dramatic  portrayal  of  comic  char- 
acter. It  is  as  evident  in  Tony  Lumpkin  or  Bob 
Acres  as  it  is  in  Sir  Toby  Belch  or  ancient  Pistol. 
Making  allowance  for  this  apparent  necessity,  which 
springs  from  conditions  in  the  drama  analogous  to 
those  attending  distemper  painting,  the  characters 

in  the  three  plays  named  are  as  faithful  as  those 

vii 


Vm  PREFACE 

of  Balzac,  and  more  easily  within  our  ken  ;  and 
the  language,  whether  passionate  or  humorous,  is 
always  appropriate  and  well  chosen.  We  are  not 
yet  far  enough  away  from  ourselves  to  take  an  ab- 
solutely trustworthy  and  dispassionate  view  of 
what  are  the  distinguishing  attributes  of  our  age. 
The  fidelity  of  Mr.  Jones's  pictures  wins,  however, 
hearty  and  delighted  recognition,  and  the  banter 
of  modern  aspiration  and  effort  which  he  supplies 
is  at  least  happy  and  convincing  to  ourselves. 

It  is  convenient,  in  dealing  with  Judah,  to  con- 
cern oneself  only  for  purposes  of  comparison  or 
illustration  with  the  two  other  printed  plays.  I 
wish  I  could  include  with  these  The  Danchig  Girl, 
The  Bauble  Shop,  and  The  Middleman,  but  my  re- 
membrance of  those  plays,  though  vivid,  is  neither 
full  nor,  I  fear,  accurate.  Practically,  Judah  holds 
a  position  between  the  two  works  I  have  associated 
with  it.  While  inveighing  with  fierceness  against 
the  Pharisaical  hypocrisy  of  to-day,  and  painting 
the  deacon  of  the  conventicle  as  Colley  Gibber, 
borrowing  from  Moliere,  painted  the  Non-juror  of 
yesterday,  Mr.  Jones  in  Saints  and  Sinners  still 
leans  to  some  extent  upon  those  melodramatic  de- 
vices which  made  tlie  Silver  King  and  Hoodman 
Blind  the  best  and  most  prosperous  works  in  their 


PREFACE  IX 

class  of  the  last  decade.  Captain  Eustace  Fan- 
shawe,  though  he  is  something  more,  is  practically 
the  wicked  baronet ;  Letty  Fletcher  is,  of  course, 
the  typical  persecuted  heroine  ;  and  George  Kings- 
mill  represents  her  immemorial  protector.  The  es- 
capade— if  such  it  can  be  called,  seeing  that  it  is 
involuntary — of  Letty  links  the  play  closely  with 
melodrama,  as  it  does,  I  must  confess,  a  little  to 
the  detriment  of  my  theory,  with  the  Vicar  of 
Wakefield.  Letty  has  much  in  common  with 
Olivia,  and  Jacob  Fletcher  might  pass  for  a  dis- 
senting Dr.  Primrose.  In  the  development  of  his 
story,  however,  and  in  the  pictures  of  the  deacons, 
Mr.  Jones  quitted  the  old  methods  for  the  new, 
and  displayed  the  satirical  intention  which  has  un- 
derlain and  coloured  all  his  subsequent  efforts. 

In  The  Crusaders  the  satirical  purpose  fights 
with,  if  it  does  not  overmaster,  the  sentimental  in- 
terest. What  dwells  in  the  mind  longest  is  not  the 
love,  intense  and  almost  abject,  of  Philos  Ingar- 
field  for  the  fair  and  bewitching  widow  ;  the  devo- 
tion, purer  and  not  less  absorbing,  of  Una  Dell 
for  the  associate  in  her  labours  ;  nor  the  light- 
hearted  and  compromising  affection  of  Dick  Rusper 
for  the  heroine.  We  are  wholly  occupied  with  the 
presentation  of  aristocratic  affectations  ;  the  pict- 


X  PREFACE 

ures  of  society  playing  at  being  charitable  and 
virtuous,  and  seeking,  as  it  were,  without  removing 
its  white  kid  gloves,  to  wash  the  feet  of  the  poor. 
It  is  not  my  cue  to  speak  concerning  The  Crusa- 
ders, or  I  would  willingly  expatiate  upon  the  mar- 
vellous truth  of  what  is  vital  in  the  plot,  and  the 
overpowering  fidelity  of  characters  such  as  Mrs. 
Champion-Blake  and  Mr.  Palsam — the  last-named 
especially,  at  once  a  creation  and  an  actuality,  if 
such  a  conjunction  can  be  conceived. 

Between  the  two  there  comes  Judah,  a  satire  in 
the  main  —  the  satire,  primarily,  of  aristocratic 
patronage  of  fads  ;  and,  secondarily,  of  new  forms 
of  social  priggishness.  Underlying  this  is  a  love 
interest,  not  in  the  least  melodramatic,  but  ex- 
quisitely human,  informing  the  whole  with  poetry 
and  passion.  In  Mr.  Jones's  later  works  there  are 
no  lay  figures.  Each  character  bears  the  impress 
of  a  distinct  and  recognisable  individuality.  The 
nearest  approach  to  a  conventional  type  is  perhaps 
Lord  Asgarby,  who  is  necessarily,  perhaps — since 
love  for  a  suffering  daughter  is  scarcely  a  distin- 
guishing attribute  —  somewhat  colourless.  I  am 
not  sure  that  this  is  not  indeed  a  proof  of  accurate 
observation,  since  in  their  aspect  towards  the  gen- 
eral   public    great    English    noblemen    present    no 


PREFACE  XI 

very  salient  characteristics.  Concerning  the  re- 
maining characters  no  doubt  is  possible.  Each  is 
a  breathing,  genuine  human  being.  In  the  epony- 
mous hero,  with  his  concentrated  and  almost  mor- 
bid piety,  and  his  passionate,  if  fleshly  and  un- 
hallowed, love  for  a  woman  far  from  fulfilling  his 
moral  and  intellectual  aspirations,  the  play  is  linked 
with  The  Crusaders^  and  also  with  The  Dancing 
Girl.  Judah  is,  however,  carefully  differentiated 
from  Philos  Ingarfield.  Both  are  visionaries, 
dreamers,  sanguine  at  the  outset  of  their  capacity 
to  alleviate  human  suffering  or  elevate  human  na- 
ture. Judah  is,  however,  a  mystic,  which  Philos 
is  not.  Like  Joan  of  Arc,  Judah  hears  voices,  and 
like  her  he  has  full  faith  in  his  mission.  In  Washti 
Dethic  he  sees  a  miracle-worker— the  response,  as 
it  were,  to  his  own  aspiration  after  absorption  in 
the  Divine.  The  love  and  the  ambition  of  Philos 
Ingarfield  are  on  a  lower  plane.  To  him  Cynthia 
Greenslade  is  a  possible  earthly  spouse.  She  will 
help  him  in  his  task  of  mitigating  human  suffering. 
She  is  rich,  and  she  has  already  shown  her  disposi- 
tion so  to  do.  It  is  as  a  woman,  however,  and  not 
as  a  goddess  that  he  adores  her,  and  his  courtship 
of  her  is  a  practical  abandonment  of  duty,  which 
at  the  beginning  that  of  Judah  is  not.     Philos  is' 


XU  PREFACE 

in  fact,  a  socialist  ;  Judah,  a  species  of  cenobite. 
In  both  men  love  means  self-sacrifice  ;  there  are 
few  cases,  possibly,  in  which  it  does  not.  I'he 
self-sacrifice  of  Judah  is,  however,  self-immolation, 
which  that  of  Philos  is  far  from  being.  Both  tell 
lies  in  order  to  save  the  woman  they  love  ;  Philos 
savagely,  since  there  is  no  other  way  in  which  her 
reputation  and  honour  may  be  saved.  Despising 
himself  for  so  doing,  he  lends  himself  to  an  act  of 
social  hypocrisy  and  mendacity  which  must  end 
in  his  own  defeat  and  humiliation,  since — although 
in  the  end  the  heroine  comes  weeping  to  his  feet 
and  bids  him  do  with  her  what  he  will — the  pros- 
pect in  front  of  him,  in  case  he  accepts  her  and 
lifts  her  up,  as  he  will,  into  his  embrace,  is  joyless, 
hopeless.  With  Judah  it  is  otherwise.  He  has 
shared  deliberately  and  purposely  the  woman's 
fraud,  and  has  rejoiced  in  her  crime  as  bringing 
her  nearer  to  him.  If  the  contest  with  his  con- 
science has  been  fierce,  no  less  fierce  has  been  his 
joy  in  his  self-abasement.  True,  he  has  deter- 
mined to  reconquer  his  own  self-respect,  and  raise 
with  him  to  the  spheres  the  poor,  suffering,  tor- 
mented creature  whom  he  has  mistaken  for  an 
angel.  But  the  passage  upward  must  be  joint.  If 
she  will    not  ascend,  neither  will  he.     He  will,  on 


PREFACE  xiii 

the  contrary,  go  with  her  where  she  goes  ;  her 
people  shall  be  his  people,  and  her  God  his  God. 
For  him,  then,  a  fair  chance  of  happiness  is  held 
out.  In  this  respect  Jtidah,  unlike  The  Crusa- 
ders^ ends  happily. 

Vashti  Dethic,  meantime,  is  perhaps  the  most 
strangely  composite  character  Mr.  Jones  has 
created.  Her  fall  from  grace  and  honesty  is  not, 
like  that  of  Letty  Fletcher,  due  to  masculine  base- 
ness and  the  captured  fancy  of  a  girl.  An  enthu- 
siast in  some  respects  like  Una  Dell,  she  is  also, 
when  viewed  from  another  point,  a  somewhat  com- 
monplace adventuress.  She  is  in  the  house  of  Lord 
Asgarby  for  the  purpose  of  preying  upon  him,  after 
the  fashion  of  her  tribe.  Some  pains  are  taken  at 
the  outset  to  show  the  existence  of  latent  possi- 
bilities of  good.  She  even  tries  to  believe  in  her 
own  mission,  consciously  false  and  hypocritical  as 
are  her  methods  of  prosecuting  it.  She  acts  prac- 
tically under  the  compulsion  of  her  father,  and  is 
weary  of  the  game  she  plays,  and  anxious  to  ex- 
change for  healthier  air  the  atmosphere  of  lies  in 
which  she  dwells.  In  this,  however  there  is  no- 
thing distinguishing.  Above  all  adventuresses 
whose  story  is  susceptible  of  dramatic  treatment 
there  is  some  power  hard  to  oppose — father,  hus- 


XIV  PREFACE 

band,  brother,  lover  ;  if  none  of  these,  there  is  the 
hardest  taskmaster  of  all,  call  it  what  you  will — fate, 
circumstances,  the  inevitable  logic  of  events.  .  As 
for  the  penitence,  sincere  or  otherwise  ;  the  de- 
sire to  quit  the  life  of  shame,  shifts,  and  dishonour 
— it  is  always  in  the  mouth  of  the  impostor.  The 
unfailing  vindication  and  recrimination  of  the 
woman  of  this  class  finds  its  most  characteristic 
utterance  in  L' Avetiiurier  of  M.  Emile  Augier. 
After  her  detection  and  humiliation  Clorinde  turns 
upon  her  brother  Annibal  with  the  words — 

"  C'est  toi,  toi  qui  m'as  degrad6e  ; 
C'est  toi  des  dons  du  ciel  qui  m'as  depossedee  ; 
Qui  m'as  s6ch6  le  coeur,  qui  m'as  mise  si  bas, 
Que  je  veux  remonter  et  que  je  ne  peux  pas  ! 
L'injure  et  ie  m6pris  oii  je  me  vois  sujette, 
O  conseiller  du  mal,  sur  toi  je  les  rejette  ! 
Je  te  hais,  te  maudis,  et  je  voudrais  pouvoir 
Te  remplir  dc  ma  honte  et  de  mon  desespoir  !  " 

Vashti  is  incapable  of  a  tirade  such  as  this,  having 
neither  the  strength  of  will,  the  self-reliance,  nor 
the  knowledge  of  the  world  of  her  prototype.  She 
is  none  the  less  in  the  same  boat.  She  can  plead 
no  excuse  of  love,  nothing  higher  than  ordinary 
human  needs  and  paternal  influence  in  mitigation 
of    punishment    or    in   excuse   of   misdeed.      Hear 


PREFACE  XV 

what  she  finds  to  say  when  her  falsehood  has  been 
detected  by  the  man  of  all  others  whose  good 
opinion  and  love  she  is  anxious  to  conquer  : 

"  You  don't  know  what  my  childhood  and  girl- 
hood were  like;  how  often  we  were  pressed  for 
money.  Sometimes  we  had  scarcely  bread  enough 
to  eat.  We  went  to  Spain.  I  found  I  was  able  to 
cure  many  of  the  foolish  country  people  if  they 
only  believed  in  me,  and  my  father  persuaded  me 
[not  compelled  me  even]  if  I  could  only  show 
them  that  I  could  live  without  food  it  would  be  a 
sign  of  my  possessing  supernatural  power.  I  be- 
gan, and  it  was  as  he  said.  I  found  everybody 
believed  in  me.  When  I  had  once  begun,  I  was 
obliged  to  go  on.  We  came  back  to  England,  and 
then  I  met  you  ;  and  at  first  I  was  pleased  to 
see  what  power  I  had  over  you.  But  when  I  saw 
that  you  believed  in  me  and  loved  me,  I  gradually 
felt  how  wicked  I'd  been.  I  tried  again  and  again 
to  give  it  up  ;  I  tried  to  tell  you.  I  wanted  you 
to  know  the  truth  about  me,  and  yet  I  could  not 
bear  you  to  think  that  I  was  not  worthy  of  your 
love.  You  know  it  now.  Oh  !  tell  me  you  forgive 
me.'' 

Lame  as  is  this  excuse,  it  is  all  she  has  to  offer  ; 
nor  can  any  casuistry  on  the  part  of  author,  spec- 


XVI  PREFACE 

tator,  or  reader,  find  anything  more  valid.  Yet  we 
do  not  class  Vashti  Dethic  with  commonplace  ad- 
venturesses. Something  may  perhaps  be  due  to 
the  talent  of  the  first  exponent,  whose  perform- 
ance of  the  character  brought  out  whatever  in  it 
was  elevating  or  redeeming.  To  attribute  over- 
much to  this  cause  would,  however,  be  unjust  to 
the  author,  who  clearly  intended  to  inspire  this  feel- 
ing, and  to  beget  in  behalf  of  his  heroine  a  sympathy 
that  is  something  more  than  mere  forgiveness. 
While  an  unmistakable  sinner,  Vashti  seems  indeed 
of  the  stuff  of  which  saints  are  made.  She  would 
fain  accept  her  own  mission  as  true  ;  and  her  sins, 
though  real,  are  not  specially  serious.  At  the 
worst  she  is  only  carrying  out,  while  in  Asgarby 
Castle,  a  precept  ascribed  to  the  Jesuits,  that  it  is 
lawful  to  do  evil  in  order  that  good  may  ensue. 
Byron  in  his  English  Bards  and  Scotch  Reviewers 
speaks  of  Scott's  Marmion  as 

"  Now  forging  deeds,  now  foremost  in  the  fight  ; 
Not  quite  a  felon,  yet  but  half  a  knight." 

Some  similar  words — not  quite  a  felon,  yet  but 
half  a  saint — might  describe  the  feeling  generally 
entertained  towards  Vashti.  With  her  is  contrasted 
Lady  Eve,  whose  frail,  clinging,  emotional  nature 


PREFACE  xvii 

and  neurotic  temperament,  besides  serving  as  foils 
to  Vashti,  furnish  the  best  excuse  for  the  fasting 
girl's  crowning  deception.  Against  these  three 
characters,  all  of  them  leaning  to  mysticism,  Mr. 
Jones  puts  the  scientific  investigator,  with  faith  in 
nothing  but  the  seen,  admirably  illustrated  in  Pro- 
fessor Jopp.  One  cannot  but  admire  the  justice 
with  which  the  balance  is  held.  While  Dethic — 
charlatan,  conjurer,  vulgarian,  and,  not  to  put  too 
fine  a  point  upon  it,  thief — gives  birth  to  Vashti — 
a  girl  who,  though  partner  in  a  fraud,  is  capable, 
under  the  sustaining  and  inspiring  influences  of 
love,  of  heroic  self-immolation  approaching  to 
martyrdom  ;  Professor  Jopp — the  type  of  all  that 
is  wisest,  most  enlightened,  and  most  penetrating 
in  modern  science — begets  a  daughter  who  may  be 
regarded  as  the  most  exasperating  and  hateful 
product  of  modern  civilisation.  That  the  more 
responsible  and  erudite  of  his  dramatis  personce 
should  be  the  special  subjects  of  Mr.  Jones's  satire 
is  natural,  inevitable  even.  The  passion,  sublime 
at  once  and  pitiful,  of  Judah  Llewellyn  for  the 
sinful  woman  whom  he  shelters,  and  whose  iniquity 
he  shares,  lends  itself  no  more  readily  to  irony  or 
humour  than  does  the  nervous  anxiety  of  Lord 
Asgarby  for  his  daughter's  health.     Indulgence  is 


xviu  PREFACE 

the  most  that  is  demanded,  but  sympathy  follows 
necessarily  in  its  wake. 

With  purely  intellectual  characters  it  is  other- 
wise. Upon  these  Mr.  Jones  pours  out  the  vials 
of  his  wit.  Jopp  himself  is  treated  with  respect, 
and  is  shown  as  honourable,  straightforward,  and, 
even  in  matters  in  which  his  scientific  conscience 
and  instincts  are  concerned,  not  incapable  of  leni- 
ency and  generosity.  In  the  wooing  of  Sophie 
Jopp  by  Juxon  Prall,  Mr.  Jones  overflows  with 
mirth  not  unmixed  with  severity.  It  is  not  of 
course  science  or  erudition  that  he  lashes,  but  af- 
fectation and  priggishness. 

Here,  then,  in  the  satire  comes  in  the  species  of 
over-accentuation  ;  it  is  impossible  to  deny  the 
dramatist.  The  serious  characters,  one  and  all, 
are  faithful  transcripts  from  real  life.  Out  of  the 
very  heart  of  womanhood  Mr.  Jones  has  wrung  his 
Vashti  Dethic.  Lord  Asgarby  and  Lady  Eve  are 
worthy,  truthful,  and  acceptable  beings.  Judah 
Llewellyn,  mixed  Welshman  and  Jew,  is  a  type  of 
noble  purpose  and  misguided  enthusiasm  which 
may  be,  and  often  is,  encountered,  and  which  com- 
mends itself  especially  to  our  dramatist.  Juxon 
Prall  and  Sophie  Jopp  are  in  some  respects  carica- 
tures.    They  are,  however,  justifiable  as  such,  and 


PREFACE  XIX 

show  the  conceivable  results  to  which  modern 
methods  and  processes  tend.  A  man  precisely- 
such  as  Juxon  none  of  us  has  seen.  Men  such  as 
he  are,  however,  a  possible  outcome  of  forces 
known  to  be  at  work.  "We  are  none  of  us  infalli- 
ble, not  even  the  youngest  of  us,"  said  the  Oxford 
don.  The  type  of  man  known  by  painful  experi- 
ence to  the  utterer  of  that  brilliant  witticism  is 
skilfully  and  legitimately  caricatured  by  Mr.  Jones. 
Just  as  respect  for  authority,  paternal  or  other,  is 
unknown  to  our  young  men,  so  regard  for  modesty 
is,  I  am  told,  fading  among  our  maidens.  That  a 
point  has  been  reached  at  which  a  woman  shall, 
like  Sophie,  calmly  discuss  with  the  man  who  pro- 
poses to  her  the  physical  aspects  of  marriage,  I  am 
not  prepared  to  say.  The  satire,  however,  strikes 
home.  It  shows  what  is  to  be  expected,  and  so 
fulfils  its  mission.  Satire  exactly  similar  in  method, 
and  no  whit  less  accentuated,  established  the  mag- 
nificent reputation  of  Le  Mo?ide  ou  Von  s'ennuie, 
and  such  has  again  and  again  opened  to  the  French 
candidate  the  gates  of  the  Institute. 

I  have  dealt  with  the  more  important  characters 
in  Judah.  Among  the  minor  personages  Mr.  Prall 
is  interesting  as  a  type  of  a  species  the  fitness  of 
which  for  dramatic  purposes  Mr.  Jones  has  been 


XX  PREFACE 

one  of  the  first  to  recognise.  He  is  the  disciple, 
the  votary,  the  interpreter  and  worshipper  of  the 
latest  prophet  or  faddist,  the  evangelist  of  the 
latest  craze.  Another  member  of  the  same  frater- 
nity, more  comic,  but  scarcely  more  zealous,  is  Mr. 
Figg  in  The  Crusaders,  the  founder  of  the  Jawle 
Guild.  Not  wholly  disinterested  are  these  men, 
each  having  in  his  own  way  a  purpose  to  serve,  but 
they  are  zealous  and  thoroughgoing.  Mr.  Jones  is 
a  profound  believer  in  earnestness  and  enthusiasm. 
Mr.  Palsam,  odious  as  he  is,  and  fond  of  feeding 
upon  moral  garbage,  surprises  and  almost  over- 
awes us  by  his  inveteracy  of  purpose  ;  and  poor 
Mr.  Prabble,  the  junior  deacon  at  Bethel,  almost 
convinces  us  that  the  stores  are  opposed  to  Chris- 
tian morality  and  dogma.  As  a  type  of  local  fussi- 
ness  and  importance  Mr.  Papworthy,  Mayor  of 
Beachampton,  demands  a  word  of  praise. 

I  cannot  pretend  to  have  analysed  any  of  the 
characters  in  Judah,  or  to  have  lighted  upon  any 
new  theory  concerning  them.  I  have  but  given  a 
faint  idea  of  the  impression  they  convey  to  one 
mind.  Concerning  the  characters  of  Hamlet,  vol- 
umes enough  to  fill  the  room  in  which  I  write  have 
been  given  to  the  world  without  placing  it  to  our- 
selves in  a  light  much  clearer  than  that  in  which  it 


PREFACE  XXI 

was  seen  by  our  ancestors.  I  am  indeed  of  those 
who  doubt,  when  a  dramatic  character  is  given  to 
the  world,  whether  the  very  creator  knows  all  the 
issues  to  which  it  is  touched.  I  dwell  in  the  case 
of  Jiidah  upon  character  rather  than  either  plot  or 
dialogue,  because  it  is  this  which  makes  a  play. 
Given  certain  clearly  defined  characters,  and  place 
them  in  certain  circumstances,  and  the  result  is,  or 
should  be,  independent,  so  to  speak,  of  the  volition 
of  the  dramatist.  From  the  narrator  of  a  story  of 
modern  life,  such  as  all  Mr.  Jones's  recent  works, 
with  the  exception  of  The  Tempter^  have  been, 
appropriateness  of  dialogue  and  wit — wit  recon- 
cilable with  appropriateness,  that  is — are  expected. 
Poetry,  except  in  the  nature  of  the  incidents  or 
the  relations  and  emotions  of  the  characters,  is  out 
of  the  question.  There  is  no  call  for  me  to  deal 
with  the  question,  "  What  is  or  is  not  permissible 
in  the  modern  drama  ? "  I  am  only  careful  to 
claim  for  Judah  that  it  is  literature,  and  as  such 
deserves  to  be  accessible  in  a  printed  form  such  as 
is  now  assigned  it.  All  drama,  not  including  dra- 
matic poems  such  as  Festus,  are  written  for  the  stage, 
and  are  best  seen  there.  From  the  poorest  per- 
formance of  a  Shakespearian  masterpiece  the  most 
ardent  and  enlightened  scholar  learns  much  that  he 


XXll  PREFACE 

will  never  reach  by  perusal.  We  are  not,  there- 
fore, to  deprive  ourselves  of  the  privilege  of  read- 
ing and  poring  over  the  work  at  our  pleasure,  ex- 
tracting what  Rabelais  calls  its  moelle  substanti- 
Jigue,  and  deriving  a  delight  perpetually  fresh  and 
new  from  our  researches.  A  work  such  as  Jiidah 
demands  no  special  research  in  order  to  grasp  its 
merits  and  beauties.  There  are  thousands  in  the 
world  who  may  never  have  a  chance  of  seeing  it 
acted,  and  may  yet  profit  by  its  perusal. 

As  studies  of  the  life  around  us,  its  affectations, 
pretences,  frivolities,  and  also  of  the  deeper  feel- 
ings that  underlie  and  sweeten  it,  Mr.  Jones's 
dramas  appeal  to  me  more  directly  than  those  of 
most,  if  not  all,  of  his  compeers.  The  moon  to 
the  sea  of  drama,  causing  and  controlling  all  its 
tides,  is  passion.  With  the  light  of  this  Judah  is 
quickened  and  thrilled.  I  know  few  things  that 
speak  more  directly  to  my  feelings  than  the  subju- 
gation of  the  nature  of  the  young  dreamer  and 
enthusiast  by  the  sight  and  touch  of  Vashti.  I  am 
dealing  now  with  the  printed  volume  and  not  with 
the  performance,  well  remembered  though  it  be,  of 
the  play.  If  affords,  however,  curious  proof  how 
true  a  note  was  struck,  that  the  audience  of  the 
first  night  was  electrified  after  a  fashion  that,  in  an 


PREFACE  xxiu 

exceptionlly  long  and  close  attendance  upon  theat- 
rical representations,  I  have  rarely  seen  equalled, 
and  never  seen  surpassed.  As  at  the  first  produc- 
tion of  Caste  by  Robertson, — a  piece  wholly  dif- 
ferent in  character,  and  cognate  only  in  the  influ- 
ence it  exercised, — the  spectator  felt  the  necessity 
for  some  outlet  for  his  admiration  and  sympathy, 
and  spoke  to  the  stranger  near  him  with  no  fear  of 
rebuff. 

It  is  a  compliment  and  a  gratification  to  be  asso- 
ciated in  any  fashion  with  a  writer  so  able,  con- 
scientious, and  inspired  as  Mr.  Jones.  Inspiration 
is  in  these  days  a  not  too  commonly  accorded  gift. 
I  know  not,  however,  how  to  refuse  it  to  the  man 
who  has  shown  "  the  very  age  and  body  of  the 
time  his  form  and  pressure."  If  I  have  attempted 
no  exegesis  of  the  work  which  follows,  and  have 
shed  on  it  no  light  of  illumination,  I  have  at  least 
enjoyed  the  privilege  of  recording  my  admiration 
and  regard  for  the  book  and  its  author. 

JOSEPH  KNIGHT. 


ACT   I 

Scene.      The   Tapestry-room  at  Asgarby  Castle.     A 
ha7idso7ne  apartjnent  hu/ig  with  Raphael s  cartoojis 
in  tapestry.      The  back  is  covered  with  a  copy  iti 
tapestry  of  the  cartoon  of  the  healing  of  the  para- 
lytic at  the  gate  of  the  Temple.    Door  up  stage  right. 
Fire-place   down  stage  right.      Windows    opening 
upon  garden  up  stage  left. 
Discover  Lord  Asgarby — a  very  distinguished-look- 
ing ?nan  abotit  sixty.     He  is  writing  at  table. 
Enter  Roper,  announcing. 
Roper.   Mr.  Papworthy  ! 

Enter  Papworthy. 

[^Exit  Roper. 
(Lord  A.  rises.) 

Pap.  Excuse  my  taking  the  liberty,  Lord  Asgar- 
by, but  you  being  the  chief  pillar  of  Beachampton, 
I  thought  it  my  duty  to  ask  your  opinion  upon  the 
question  of  our  Mr.  Llewellyn  and  this  young  per- 
son. 

Enter  Professor  Joi^p  at  window.     A  tnan  about 
sixty,  keen,  alert,  intellectual,  bald,  very  high  fore- 
head, bright  deep-set  eyes,  genial  Voltaire  type  of 
face. 
Jopp.  Am  I  in  the  way  ? 
Lord   A.  Not  at  all,  Jopp.     {^Introduces^     Mr. 


2  JUDAH  ACT   I 

Papworthy.  He  wants  to  ask  my  advice  about  this 
young  lady  who  is  causing  all  this  sensation  in  the 
city. 

Jopp.  This  Miss  Dethic  ? 

Pap.  Yes,  sir.  I  have  been  connected  with  the 
Durfield  Road  Chapel  since  I  was  a  boy,  and  it 
seems  to  me  that  our  young  minister,  Mr.  Llewellyn, 
is  going  too  far  when  he  declares  in  public  his  be- 
lief in  the  miracles  that  this  Miss  Dethic  is  said  to 
work. 

Jopp.  You  don't  believe  in  miracles,  Mr.  Pap- 
worthy ? 

Pap.  Not  in  England  in  the  nineteenth  century. 
Do  you,  sir  ? 

Jopp.  No.  I  never  believe  in  miracles  that  do 
not  happen  either  in  a  remote  century  or  a  remote 
country. 

Pap.  Quite  so,  sir;  and  though  of  course  I  don't 
say  they  are  impossible  in  Beachampton  to-day,  yet 
I  think  as  mayor,  and  as  head  of  one  of  the  oldest 
establishments  in  the  city,  it  is  my  duty  to — to — ah 
— to — 

Jopp.  To  discourage  them  as  much  as  possible, 
eh? 

Pap.  Yes.  And  Lord  Asgarby  subscribing  very 
largely  to  our  cause,  as  he  does  to  everything  in 
Beachampton,  I  called  to  ask  him  whether  in  his 
opinion  Mr.  Llewellyn  ought  not  to  be  removed. 

Jopp.  What  for  ?  He  is  tremendously  in  earnest 
— the  finest  natural  orator  I  ever  listened  to. 


ACT  I  JUDAH  3 

Pap.  You  have  heard  him,  sir  ? 

Lord  A.  We  all  went  last  night.  My  daughter 
was  deeply  impressed,  and  wished  to  meet  him. 

Pap.  He's  in  Asgarby  now,  with  Miss  Dethic. 

Lord  A.  In  the  village  ?  Could  you  bring  him 
here  ? 

Pap.  Certainly,  my  lord.  [Lord  A.  rings  bell.] 
I  don't  deny  Mr.  Llewellyn's  extraordinary  gifts, 
but  it's  a  pity  he's  so  infatuated  with  this  girl. 
There  are  other  members  of  the  congregation — my 
own  daughter,  for  instance — she  did  knit  him  a 
pair  of  slippers.  However,  there's  no  denying  the 
wonderful  power  he  has  over  the  people. 

Jopp.  He  seems  to  have  received  a  good  educa- 
tion. 

Pap.  He  was  at  our  training-college  for  some 
years.  All  our  ministers  are  trained  there.  But  it 
isn't  education  with  Mr.  Llewellyn — it's  born  in 
him  ! 

Jopp.  Welsh,  isn't  he  ? 

Pap.  a  Welsh  father  and  Jewish  mother. 

Jopp.  Celt  and  Jew!  Two  good  races  I  Just 
the  man  to  give  England  a  new  religion,  or  make 
her  believe  in  her  old  one. 

Roper  enters. 

Pap.  I  will  try  and  find  him,  my  lord. 

Lord  A.  Thank  you.  By  the  way,  you  needn't 
trouble  the  rate-payers  about  the  Free  Library  for 
the  city.     I  will  bear  the  entire  cost  myself. 


4  JUDAH  ACT  I 

Pap.   My  lord,  you  are  too  generous  ! 
Lord  A.  Generous  !     What  is  the  use  of  money 
to  me  ? 

Lady  Eve  enters — a  girl  of  Jifteeti,  ivith  beautiful, 
hectic  cofjiplexion,  feverish,  fidgety,  with  sud- 
den alternate  fits  of  languor  and  restless  energy. 
Papworthy  bows  very  respectfully  to  her, 
and  she  comes  to  Lord  A.  He  kisses  her 
forehead. 

Pap.  [Aside.]  Fifty  thousand  a  year,  and  one 
dying  child  !  [£xit.     Roper  sho7as  him  off. 

Lord    A.  ivatches   Lady  Eve   constantly,  with   the 
greatest  tenderness  and  solicitude. 

Jopp.  Well,  Lady  Eve,  how  are  you  to-day  ? 

Ladv  E.  I  am  quite  well.  The  doctors  are  all 
wrong.     I  mean  to  cheat  them  all  and  live. 

[Flings  herself  into  an  arm-chair,  her  fingers 
playing  restlessly  with  a  tassel. 

Lord  A.  Live,  dearest  ?  The  doctors  have  never 
said  otherwise. 

Lady  E.  No,  but  they  think  it.  You  need  not 
try  to  deceive  me.  I  know  what  these  journeys 
mean,  from  Torquay  to  Nice,  from  Nice  to  Algiers. 
[She  rises  suddenly,  goes  to  Jopp  detertninedly.  Lord 
A.  follows  her,  always  with  the  greatest  solicitude^ 
Professor  Jopp,  I  read  your  article  in  this  month's 
Modern  Rcvietu,  on  "  The  Scientific  Conception  of 
Truth." 


ACT  I  JUDAH  5 

Jopp.  You  read  a  great  deal  too  much,  Lady 
Eve. 

Lady  Eve.  I  read  everything.  {^Very pointedly.'\ 
Do  you  always  tell  the  truth  yourself? 

Jopp.  \^A  little  taken  aback  j  after  a  short  pause. ^ 
Almost  invariably. 

Lady  E.  Will  you  tell  me  the  truth  now  ? 

Jopp.  Certainly. 

Lady  E.   How  long  shall  I  live  ? 

Jopp.  Well,  I  am  not  in  practice  now,  you  know. 

Lady  E.  \^Goes  from  him,  pettishly,  to  chair  at 
fireplace,  afid  sits.\  Ah  !  you  all  think  I  am  afraid 
to  die  !  My  uncle  Jack  dashed  among  the  powder 
barrels  at  Inkerman,  though  he  knew  it  was  cer- 
tain death.  I  am  no  more  a  coward  than  he  was. 
I  can  die  ! 

Lord  A.  But  you  said  you  were  going  to   live. 

\  Going  to  her. 

Lady  E.  So  I  am,  if  you  will  let  me  have  my 
own  way.     \^With  great  eager!icss.'\     Will  you  ? 

Lord  A.  My  dearest,  if  there  is  anything  in  this 
world  that  money  can  buy,  or  love  can  procure, 
you  know  it  is  yours.     \^Tenderly.^  What  is  it  ? 

Lady  E.  Professor  Jopp  will  laugh. 

Jopp.  \^Seriously  and  tenderly.^  I  couldn't  laugh 
at  anything  that  promised  to  bring  health  to  you. 

Lady  E.  You  laughed  the  other  day. 

Jopp.  At  what  ? 

Lady  E.  At  this  Vashti  Dethic.  Yet  she  has 
made  hundreds  of  cures  in  Spain. 


6  JUDAH  ACT  I 

Jopp.   In  Spain  ! 

Lady  E.  And  in  America. 

Jopp.   In  America  ! 

Lady  E.  And  in  England.  Mr.  Prall  has  writ- 
ten a  book  all  about  her  cures  and  her  fasting. 
[  Very  confidently?^^  I  am  sure  she  could  cure  me. 
Father,  you  won't  be  angry  !  Miss  Dethic  is  stay- 
ing at  the  Towers  with  Mrs.  Prall,  and  I  have  writ- 
ten and  asked  them  to  come  this  afternoon. 

Lord  A.  That's  right. 

Lady  E.  And  may  I  ask  her  to  stay  here  ? 

Lord  A.  Certainly,  dear,  if  you  wish.  [Jopp 
shrugs  his  shoulders^  She  is  in  the  village  with 
this  Mr.  Llewellyn. 

Lady  E.  Mr.  Llewellyn — the  minister  we  heard 
last  night.  I'll  go  and  see  if  I  can  find  her.  \Goes 
to  window.  Lord  A.  folloivs  her.^  No,  don't 
come.  Oh  !  If  I  could  speak  like  him  !  If  I 
could  do  something !  It's  action  I  want.  This 
world  is  all  for  the  strong.  To  do  something, 
and  then  to  die.  [/«  a  very  dreamy,  nnisifig  tone.^ 
How  sweet  Death  seems  sometimes  !  Like  a 
kiss  from  an  unknown  lover !  He  comes  and 
touches  you  and  says,  "  Don't  you  know  me  ? 
I  have  loved  you  all  these  years.  This  is  our 
wedding-day.  You  must  come  with  me.  You 
must  come."  [£xit  at  witidow. 

Lord  A.  \^Has  watched  her  tinth  great  pain. 
Cojnes  do7un,  sits  at  writitig-table,  head  in  hands,  then 
bursts  into  tears.]  I  cannot  bear  it.     My  dear  one  ! 


ACT  I  JUDAH  7 

My  only  one  !  The  last  of  us  !  The  end  of  our 
race  !  To  have  our  name  written  in  every  page  of 
our  country's  history,  and  now  to  be  blotted  out. 
I  have  followed  six  of  them  to  the  grave,  one  after 
another,  and  now  this  last  one  is  to  be  taken.  I 
could  buy  up  half  the  county,  Jopp,  and  I  can't 
buy  a  year's  life  for  my  only  child.  I  am  worth 
nearly  sixty  thousand  a  year,  and  I  am  poorer  than 
the  poorest  labourer  that  can  give  blood  and  vigour 
to  his  race. 

Jopp.   My  poor  Asgarby  ! 

Lord  A.  You  have  changed  your  beliefs  since 
we  were  at  Oxford  together.  I  haven't  !  What 
comfort  can  your  no-creed  give  me  ?  Is  it 
just  ? 

Jopp.  Yes.  Your  family  has  played  a  great  part 
all  through  English  history.  It  has  lived  its  life,  a 
long  and  honoured  one.  My  dear  Asgarby,  when 
the  day's  work  is  done,  and  well  done,  why  rebel 
because  the  night  has  come  and  the  labourer  must 
go  home  to  his  rest  ? 

Lord  A.  But  she  has  not  lived  her  day.  Must 
it  be,  Jopp  ?  I  do  not  trust  these  doctors.  They 
only  tell  me  what  they  know  I  am  longing  to  hear. 
Tell  me  the  truth. 

Jopp.  With  the  greatest  care,  Lady  Eve  may  live 
some  years. 

Lord  A.  How  many  ? 

Jopp.  It  is  possible  she  may  outlive  you  and  me, 
but — 


8  JUDAH  ACT  I 

Lord  A.  But  ? — 

Jopp.  You  must  not  build  on  it. 

[  The  ttvo  men  stand  ivith  hands  clasped  for 
some  moments.  Sophie  Jopp's  voice 
heard  off  at  window. 

Sophie.  [(9^.]  Decidedly — put  the  girl  to  a 
scientific  test. 

Enter  Sophie  Jopp  at  windoiv,  in  outdoor  dress, 
a  dogmatic,  supercilious,  incisive  young  lady, 
with  eye-glass  and  short  hair.  She  speaks 
in  a  metallic,  confident  voice ;  a  girl  who 
could  never  blush.  Goes  to  chair  j  sits 
down. 

Enter  at  tidndotu  JuxoN  Prall,  a  thin,  ivizened,  old- 
young  man,  spectacles,  sharp  features  j  knozvs 
everything — a  young  man  of  the  most  complete 
self-assurance.  Has  a  peculiar  finicking  trick 
of  speaking  with  the  tips  of  the  fingers  of  one 
hand  playing  on  the  tips  of  the  other.  Holds  his 
head  upon  one  side,  as  though  he  hadn't  muscular 
strength  enough  to  hold  it  upright. 

JuxoN.  How  do  you  do,  Asgarby  ?  How  do 
you  do,  Jopp  ?  We  have  been  watching  this 
wonder-worker.  Miss  Dethic,  go  through  her  per- 
formance. 

Lord  A.  You  don't  share  your  father's  belief  in 
her? 


ACT  I  JUDAH  9 

JuxON.   My  dear  Lord  Asgarby  ! 

\^Shrugs  /lis  shoulders. 

Lord  A.  But  Mr.  Prall  gives  scores  of  authenti- 
cated cases  in  his  book. 

JuxoN.  \_With  the  loftiest  contempt.^  My  father's 
book!     You've  read //^a^*.? 

Lord  A.  With  the  greatest  interest.     Why  not  ? 

JuxoN.  Well,  naturally  I  would  not  deprive  my 
poor  father  of  any  small  intellectual  status  that  his 
various  lucubrations  have  left  him,  but  to  me  his 
book  is  simply  the  most  deplorable  farrago  of  un- 
sound logic,  sickly  sentiment,  and  blatant  igno- 
rance that  I  have  ever  read.     Eh,  Miss  Jopp  ? 

Sophie.  The  style  is  certainly  flabby. 

JuxoN.  Atrocious.  Do  you  feel  inclined  to  in- 
vestigate this  Miss  Dethic's  powers,  Jopp  ? 

Jopp.  {^Shakes  his  head.'\  I  have  investigated  too 
many  of  them.  The  exact  point  at  which  self- 
deception  ends  and  the  deception  of  other  people 
begins  has  ceased  to  interest  me.  I  made  up  my 
mind  when  I  exposed  those  rascally  spiritualists 
last  year,  that  I  would  not  waste  any  more  time 
over  such  nonsense. 

Sophie.  Oh  !  but  this  case  does  really  present 
some  very  astonishing  features. 

JuxoN.  Quite  out  of  the  common.  I  have  pro- 
posed a  scientific  test. 

Lord  A.  Ah  !    What  ? 

JuxoN.  Miss  Dethic  only  performs  these  wonder- 
ful cures  after  some  weeks'  fastintr.     She  is  locked 


lO  JUDAH  ACT  I 

in  a  room  and  remains  in  a  kind  of  trance.  To 
test  if  the  fast  is  real,  I  have  proposed  that  the  key 
of  the  room  should  be  handed  over  to  me. 

Sophie.  Would  it  not  be  better,  Mr.  Prall,  that 
you  and  I  should  take  watches  of  equal  duration  ? 

JuxoN.  I  don't  think  so.  I  don't  question  your 
good  faith  ;  but  the  experience  of  my  entire  life 
has  convinced  me  that  my  own  personal  observa- 
tion is  the  only  instrument  whose  results  are  per- 
fectly satisfying  and  convincing. 

Lord  A.  And  did  Miss  Dethic  refuse  ? 

JuxoN.  My  mother  objected  on  the  score  of 
propriety.  I  am  extremely  desirous  not  to  say 
anything  unfilial,  but  to  me  my  poor  mother  pre- 
sents the  most  alarming  spectacle  of  all  that  is 
insufferable  and  prudish  in  the  British  matron.  It 
is  simply  deplorable. 

Enter  Roper,  announcing  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prall. 
During  the  following  scene  ]\]y.o^  gazes  at  his 
father  and  mother  with  an  air  of  benevolent  pity\ 
and  occasionally  exchanges  glances  and  shrugs 
of  the  shoulder  with  Sophie,  tvho  reciprocates 
his  feelings. 

Enter  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prall — Mr.  Prall  carrying 
crutches. 

Mrs.  p.  Lord  Asgarby,  congratulate  us.  \_Shak- 
ing  hands  with  Lord  A.]  The  most  marvellous 
manifestations  ! 


ACT  I  JUDAH  II 

Mr.  p.  How  do  you  do,  Asgarby  ?  ^S hakes 
hands?\  To-day's  results  must  silence  the  most 
obdurate. 

JuxoN.  They  will  not  silence  me. 

S^Goes  to  Sophie. 

Mr.  p.  \Looks  at  Juxon  angrily  j  says  nothing. 
Turns  to  Lord  A.]  You  remember  old  Benjamin 
Bandy  ? 

Lord  A.  The  lame  man  at  the  cross-roads  ? 

Mr.  p.  Yes.  For  the  last  twenty  years  he  has 
done  nothing  but  hobble  round  his  garden  on 
crutches. 

Mrs.  p.  And  swear  horribly.  And,  as  he  had  a 
remarkably  powerful  voice,  all  his  neighbours  for 
half  a  mile  round  were  compelled  to  listen  to  him. 

Juxon.   Not  necessarily. 

Mr.  p.  \^To  Juxon,  very  loudly  and  angrily^  It 
was  impossible  to  avoid  hearing  him. 

Lord  A.  What  about  him  ? 

Mr.  p.  Miss  Dethic  has  cured  him. 

Jopp.  Of  his  bad  language  ? 

Mrs.  p.  No,  of  his  complications.  He  had  vari- 
ous disorders. 

Mr.  p.  He  can  walk,  Lord  Asgarby,  as  well  as 
you  and  I.  These  are  his  crutches.  {^Showing 
them  to  Jopp.] 

Mrs.  p.  \^To  Jopp.]  You  can't  deny  the 
crutches. 

Jopp.  \^Exaf?iines  the  crutches  very  carefully 
through  glasses  ;  turns  them  round  upside  doum,  as- 


12  JUDAH  ACT  I 

suviing  an  air  of  conducting  aprofound  examination 
and  then  delivers  his  verdict  very  magisterially^ 
They  are  crutches. 

[Prall,  ivith  a  satisfied  air,  crosses  to  table 
and  puts  crutches  on  it. 

Mrs.  p.  And  what  have  you  to  say  to  that  ? 

Jopp.  That  apparently  Miss  Dethic  has  set  free 
an  alarming  quantity  of  bad  language  to  perambu- 
late the  country,  instead  of  confining  it  within  the 
limited  radius  of  half  a  mile  of  the  cross-roads. 

Enter  Roper,  announcing  Mr.  Papworthy  and 
Mr.  Llewellyn.  Enter  Papworthy.  Enter 
JuDAH  Llewellyn,  about  twenty- five,  dark  com- 
plexion, shaggy,  clustering  hair  in  thick  curls 
over  his  forehead.  Quick,  Jiervous  step ;  glow- 
ing, enthusiastic  manner.  Slight  Welsh  accent 
which  becomes  more  noticeable  in  excitement. 

Pap.  My  lord,  this  is  Mr.  Llewellyn.  If  you'll 
excuse  me,  my  lord — \Taking  out  watch^ — I  have 
a  meeting.  \_Exit. 

JuDAH.   {^Boius  very  slightly^     You  sent  for  me. 

Lord  A.  We  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  you 
last  evening.     We  were  delighted. 

Jopp.  I  have  to  speak  in  public  occasionally.  I 
should  like  to  know  the  secret  of  your  oratory. 

JuDAH.  I  believe  what  I  say. 


ACT  I  JUDAH  13 

Jopp.  /  believe  what  /  say.  There  must  be  some 
other  reason. 

JUDAH.   What  do  you  speak  about  ? 

Jopp.  My  last  lecture  was  on  tadpoles  and  lizards. 

JUDAH.   Mine  was  on  the  unseen  world. 

Jopp.  [-Dfj^y-]  Ah  ! — there  I    can't   follow  you. 

JuDAH.  It  does  need  wings. 

Jopp.  And  I  have  only  legs.  Was  that  a  per- 
sonal experience  of  your  own  that  you  told  us  of 
last  night  ?     Those  mysterious  voices — 

JUDAH.  Yes  ;  I  hear  them  almost  every  day.  I 
have  heard  them  ever  since  I  was  a  child  and  kept 
my  father's  sheep  on  the  hills  in  Wales.  You 
know  I  lived  almost  alone  until  I  was  nearly  twenty. 
I  saw  no  human  being,  sometimes  spoke  to  no  one, 
from  one  week  to  another. 

Jopp.  And  you  fancy  that  you  hear  a  real  voice 
at  these  times  ? 

JuDAH.  It  is  not  fancy — I  hear  it  as  plainly  as 
I  hear  yours.  [Jopp  smiVes.]  Why  do  you  doubt 
me  ?  Is  the  spirit-world  so  far  from  you  that  you 
don't  believe  in  it  ?  It's  nearer  to  me  than  this 
earth  I  walk  upon. 

Lord  A.  I  understood  that  this  Miss  Vashti 
Dethic  was  with  you,  Mr.  Llewellyn. 

[Af  the  mention  of  her  name  Judah's  face  shows 
intense  interest. 

JuDAH.  I  left  her  in  the  village. 

Mrs.  p.  I  was  bringing  her  here,  but  she  would 


14  JUDAH  ACT  I 

insist  on  trying  her  marvellous  curative  power  on 
some  poor  people  in  the  village. 

Mr.  p.  Wonderful  I  I  am  just  bringing  out  a 
new  edition  of  my  book  on  her  cures — the  seven- 
teenth ! 

JuxoN.  Perhaps  you  will  correct  a  few  of  the 
gross  inaccuracies  that  appear  in  the  previous 
editions. 

Mr.  p.  \^Terribly  upset ^  with  a?i  outburst  of  im- 
potent wrath^  Juxon  !  {^Suddenly  recovers  himself' 
Speaks  ill  a  tone  of  condescending  sarcasm.^  I  de- 
cline to  argue  with  you,  sir. 

Juxon.  [Imperturbab/y.']  My  dear  father,  I 
would  not  force  you  to  such  an  unequal  contest. 

E)iter  Roper,  announcittg  Mr.  Dethic.  Enter 
Mr.  Dethic,  a  suave,  furtive,  sallow,  oily  man 
of  about  fifty  with  a  touch  of  the  7nanner  of  a 
second-rate  platform  orator. 

Mr.  p.  Lord  Asgarby,  may  I  present  Mr.  Dethic, 
the  father  of  our  distinguished  guest  ? 

Lord  A.  We  are  pleased  to  see  you,  Mr.  Dethic. 

Dethic.  I  hope  you'll  excuse  my  intruding,  my 
lord,  but  my  poor  child — 

JUDAH.   Miss  Dethic  is  not  ill  ? 

Dethic.  Merely  exhausted.  She  is  resting  in 
the  grounds  for  a  few  moments. 

Mrs.  p.  And  the  young  girl  with  the  fits  ? 

Dethic.  Perfectly  cured,  and  so  grateful. 
Wanted  to  give  us  a  testimonial  on  the  spot. 


ACT  I  JUDAH  15 

Mr.  p.  What  do  you  say  to  these  occurrences, 
Professor  ? 

Jopp.  I  have  not  witnessed  them. 
Mr.  p.  You  don't  deny  them  ? 
Jopp.  We    don't    deny  miracles    nowadays,  Mr. 
Prall — we  explain  them. 
JuDAH.   Explain  ! — what  ? 

Jopp.  The  perfectly  natural  means  by  which 
miracles  are  always  accomplished. 

JuDAH.  You  know  the  secrets  of  life  and  death, 
then  ?  You  hold  the  keys  of  the  grave  ?  Explain  ?  ! 
Explain  to  the  mother  the  mystery  of  the  love  that 
gives  a  living  child  to  her  arms  !  Explain  to  the 
husband  what  hand  snatches  back  his  wife  from 
the  gates  of  death  !  Explain  ? !  They  do  not  need 
it.  They  hold  their  dear  ones  to  their  hearts — safe. 
They  do  not  question — they  love. 

Lord  A.  [tv/io  has  listened  eagerly.~\  We  hoped 
Miss  Dethic  would  have  been  here. 

JUDAH.   Will  you  let  me  bring  her  to  you  ? 
Lord  A.   If  you  will  be  so  kind. 
JUDAH.   I  will  fetch  her. 

Dethic.  \^Comes  up  to  Lord  A.,  his  7nanner  oily, 
uneasy,  underbred?^  My  lord,  may  I  express  my 
overwhelming  sense  of  the  honour  you  have  done 
me  to  welcome  me  under  the  hospitable  roof  of 
Asgarby  Castle  ? 

Lord  A.  \^Bo%usi\  We  hear  wonderful  accounts 
of  Miss  Dethic's  powers. 

Dethic.  Not  half  the  truth,  my  lord. 


l6  JUDAH  ACT  I 

Jopp.  So  I  should  imagine  ! 

Dethic.   {^Tnrns  sharply  round  on  ]o'pv.'\  Sir! 

Jopp.  In  placing  the  proportion  of  truth  to 
rumour  at  one  half,  you  have  formed  an  unusually 
favourable  estimate  of  human  nature,  Mr.  Dethic. 

Dethic.  \^Confused ;  /angks  slightly.^  Oh — ah  ! 
Yes  !  Possibly,  sir,  you  have  never  met  with  any- 
one possessing  these  extraordinary  powers. 

Jopp.  [/«  the  gravest,  most  matter-of-fact  tone, 
looks  Dethic  full  in  the  face,  and  speaks  without 
showing  the  least  iro?iy.^  Never,  Mr.  Dethic.  I 
have  in  my  little  collection  at  home  the  liver-wing 
of  a  phoenix,  the  entire  skeleton  of  a  griffin  in 
excellent  preservation,  and  the  only  known  speci- 
men of  the  horn  of  a  unicorn,  but  I  have  never  met 
with  any  one  possessed  of  supernatural  powers. 

Dethic.  Indeed  !  \^Laiighs  ;  rather  confused. 
Then,  aside.]     He's  chaffing  me  ! 

Roper  enters  rather  suddenly. 

Roper.  I  beg  pardon,  my  lord.  The  young  lady 
has  fainted. 

[Mrs.  p..  Lord  A.,  and  Mr.  P.  go  off,  followed 
by  Roper.     Jopp  stands  at  fire-place. 

Dethic.  \^To  Juxon,  tvho  ignores  him^  My  poor 
darling  !  It's  ever  the  same  when  she  is  labouring 
for  the  good  of  others. 

Re-enter    Judah,    bearing     Vashti    /;/    a    swoon. 


ACT  I  JUDAH  17 

Vashti  has  a  very  pale  ^  saintly,  beautiful  face. 
He  carries  her  tvith  the  utmost  tenderness,  a7id 
shows  great  concern.  He  is  followed  into  the 
room  by  Lord  A.  and  the  Pralls. 

JUDAH.  [^Brings  her  down  stage.^  She  is  ill  !  She 
is  dying  !  \^To  Dethic]  You  shall  not  let  her 
waste  her  strength  any  more.  She  is  killing  herself. 
{^P laces  her  on  settee.^     Miss  Dethic  ! 

Jopp.  I  have  some  medical  knowledge.  Can  I 
be  of  any  use  ? 

Dethic.  [^Intercepts  Jopp.]  Not  at  all.  Pardon 
me  ;  she  prefers  to  be  left  alone.  [Jopp  turns 
away.]  My  lord,  will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  leave 
her  with  me  ? 

Lord  A.  By  all  means.  You  are  sure  there  is  no 
danger? 

Dethic.  Nothing  serious  ;  it  will  soon  pass  off. 

[Sophie  and  Mrs.  P.  going  off  at  window. 
Prall  has  been  taking  notes  in  a  pocket- 
book. 

Mr.  p.  a  few  notes  for  my  next  edition. 
JuxoN.  I  must  really  beg  you  to  correct  those 
inaccuracies,  sir. 

[Exeunt  Juxon  and  Prall.  Lord  A.  beckons 
Jopp  and  goes  off. 

Jopp.  [Aside,  as  he  crosses  to  7vindow.]  Father — 
genus,  cheat;  species,  religious;  variety,  bogus-mir- 
acle business.     Daughter — hum  !  [Exit. 


l8  JUDAH  ACT  I 

Vashti  opens  her  eyes. 

JuDAH.  \Looking  at  her^f^  You  are  better  ? 

Vashti.  Yes.     How  good  you  are  to  me  ! 

JuDAH.  You  are  trembling  still — you  can  hardly 
breathe. 

Dethic.  Mr.  Llewellyn,  my  poor  child  will  re- 
cover more  quickly  if  she  is  left  alone  with  me. 

JUDAH.  It  is  my  fault.  I  have  encouraged  her  to 
use  these  powers,  and  now  her  strength  is  failing. 

Vashti.  No,  I  am  better  ;  leave  me  for  a  few 
moments. 

[Judah  gives  her  a  look,  then  exit  at  window 
after  the  others.     They  wateh  him  off. 

Dethic.  Splendid,  my  darling.  I'm  proud  of 
you.  By  Jove,  we're  in  clover  at  last  !  The  old 
fellow  here  is  worth  goodness  knows  how  much  a 
year,  and  throws  it  about  as  if  it  was  pebbles,  and 
the  young  lady  that  wrote  to  Mr,  Prall  is  his  only 
child.  All  the  others  have  died,  and  he's  ready  to 
give  his  head  to  keep  her  alive.  Now,  my  dear,  do 
play  your  cards  well,  and  our  fortunes  are  made  for 
life. 

Vashti.  I'll  go  no  further. 

Dethic.  What  ? 

Vashti.  I'm  tired  of  it.  I  hate  this  deception. 
I'll  have  no  more  of  it. 

Dethic.  Hush  now  !  Take  care,  my  angel  girl, 
take  care  !  You  surely  won't  refuse  to  cure  the 
poor  young  lady  ? 


ACT  I  JUDAH  19 

Vashti.  Cure  her  ? 

Dethic.  Yes,  darling.  You  do  cure  people,  you 
know. 

A^ASHTi.  They  get  well — sometimes. 

Dethic.  My  darling,  what  more  can  any  doctor 
in  the  country  say  of  his  patients  ? 

Vashti.  It's  only  the  ignorant  and  uneducated 
who  believe  in  me.  They  think  I  have  some  mys- 
terious power. 

Dethic.  So  you  have.  Take  my  word  for  it,  my 
darling,  there's  some  sort  of  magnetic  influence 
about  you  that  you  don't  quite  understand  yourself. 

Vashti.  Sometimes  I  think  there  is,  but  then 
again  I  doubt  myself.  You're  sure  I  have  this 
power — it  is  /  who  cure  them  ? 

Dethic.  Quite  sure,  my  darling.  You  couldn't 
have  been  successful  in  so  many  scores  of  cases  if 
there  hadn't  been  something  in  it. 

Vashti.  Then  let  us  trust  to  that  alone,  and  give 
up  this  pretence  of  fasting. 

Dethic.  You  can't,  my  dear.  We've  always  given 
out  that  the  fasting  is  the  secret  of  your  power,  and 
people  look  for  it.  The  general  public  are  such 
fools.  They'll  never  let  you  do  'em  good  in  a 
plain,  honest,  straightforward  way.  You're  liound 
to  deceive  'em  for  their  own  good.  We  must  throw 
'em  the  fasting  in.  Mr.  Prall  has  written  a  book 
about  it,  and  laid  special  stress  upon  it. 

Vashti.  Mr.  Prall  is  deceiving  himself  and  his 
readers. 


20  JUDAH  ACT   I 

Dethic.  Just  SO,  my  dear.  Mr.  Prall  is  a  fool — 
that's  the  reason  he's  been  of  such  use  to  us.  And 
his  readers  are  fools — that's  the  reason  his  book  has 
had  so  many  editions.  It's  ungrateful  to  repine  at 
Providence  for  having  made  the  world  so  full  of 
fools,  when  it's  quite  plain  they  are  put  here  for 
our  especial  benefit. 

Vashti.  If  I  should  be  found  out,  who  would  be 
the  fool  then  ? 

Dethic.  Found  out  ? !    Nonsense  ! 

Vashti.  You  might  not  be  able  to  supply  me 
with  food. 

Dethic.  My  precious  angel,  you  trust  to  your 
old  father.  I  didn't  spend  twenty  years  in  the 
conjuring  business  without  keeping  a  trick  or  two 
up  my  sleeve  in  case  of  accident. 

Vashti.  I  will  not  do  it.  It's  shameful  !  It's 
wicked  !  I  would  never  have  begun  it  if  I  had 
known  it  would  come  to  this,  but  you  led  me  on 
step  by  step,  and  now  I  hate  myself.  Oh  !  what 
am  I  ? — what  am  I  ?  [  Wit/i  bitter  self-reproach;  then 
ttirns  suddenly  roimd  ofi  hifnJ]  Make  some  excuse 
to  these  people.  I  will  not  stay  to  trick  and  lie  to 
them. 

Dethic.  \_Intercepiing  her  and  catching  her  hands, 
lookijig  straight  in  her  eyes.]  Oh  yes,  you  will,  my 
dear  ! 

Vashti.    [Fery Jirm.'}   1  will  not. 

Dethic.  Oh  yes,  you  will.  [Vashti  turns  from 
him;  he  drops  her  hands^  What's  the  reason  of  this 


ACT   I  JUDAH  21 

change,  Vashti  ?  There's  some  reason  for  it.  What 
is  it? 

Vashti.  \_After  a  pause.'\  The  people  believe  in 
me. 

Dethic.  Well,  don't  you  want  them  to  believe 
in  you  ? 

Vashti.  \_Sofily.'\  Mr.  Llewellyn  believes  in  me. 

Dethic.  Mr.  Llewellyn  ?  Oh-h-h  !  It's  Mr. 
Llewellyn,  is  it  ? 

Vashti.  I  will  not  do  it.     [  Very  determinedly^ 

Dethic.  [  Venomous  and  quiet^  Look  here,  my 
girl.  Either  you  stay  on  here,  and  act  according  to 
my  instructions,  and  are  rewarded  'with  a  happy 
and  honoured  competence  for  the  rest  of  your  life, 
or  you  confess  yourself  a  fraud,  disgrace  your  trust- 
ing old  father,  and  let  Mr.  Llewellyn  know  exactly 
what  you  are,  besides  getting  yourself  lodgings  in- 
side Beachampton  jail. 

Vashti.  \^Frightened?^  Jail  ! 

Dethic.  The  palatial  red-brick  edifice  overlook- 
ing the  canal. 

Vashti.  [^Very  frig  hie  ?icd.^  I  have  done  nothing 
criminal,  have  I  ? 

Dethic.  Haven't  you  ?  How  about  imposing  on 
dear,  kind,  good  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prall,  and  living  on 
'em,  and  obtaining  money  of  'em  on  false  pre- 
tences ? 

Vashti.  Obtaining  money  ? 

Dethic.  I've  borrowed  a  hundred  pounds  of 
Mr.  Prall.    [Vashti  sho7vs  a/arm.]    Oh,  you've  had 


22  JUDAH  ACT    I 

your  share.     Everything  you've  got  on  came   out 
of  it. 

Vashti.  {^Deeply  ashamed.^  You  told  me  he  gave 
it  you. 

Dethic.  So  he  did,  so  far  as  there's  any  chance 
of  his  getting  it  back.  But  up  to  the  present  he 
regards  the  transaction  as  a  loan.  [Vashti  is  over- 
come zviih  shalllc^^  Come,  Vashti,  don't  be  a  fool. 
You  can't  go  back  now.  [Judah  enters  at  window^ 
I  was  just  trying  to  persuade  her,  Mr.  Llewellyn, 
that  it  is  her  duty  to  stay  here  and  cure  this  poor 
young  lady  if  she  can.  I  was  asking  her  to  remem- 
ber what  you  said  :  "  Squander  your  life  to  save 
it  ;  save  it,  and  find  that  you  have  lost  it  after  all." 
\^Tnrns  to  Vashti.]  You  will  stay  here,  Vashti, 
won't  you?     You'll  stay  ?  \_Looks  threateningly. 

Vashti.  \^Afier  a  pa  use. ^  Yes,  I'll  stay. 

Dethic.  That's  right,  my  dear.  I'll  tell  his  lord- 
ship. \^Goes  to  window,  and  exit. 

Judah.  [  Vety  nmch  embarrassed.l  Miss  Dethic. 

Vashti.  Yes  ?  \^Looks  at  him?[  What  is  it,  Mr. 
Llewellyn  ? 

Judah.   I  want  to  speak  to  you. 

Vashti.   [Pat/se.]  Why  don't  you  speak  ? 

Judah.  Because — I  can't  ! 

Vashti.  You  can  be  eloquent  enough  when  you 
choose. 

Judah.  I  am  afraid  to  speak  to  you.  Your 
goodness,  your  purity,  take  my  breath  away. 

[Vashti  shows  a  stab  of  pain  at  deceiving  him, 


ACT  I  JUDAH  23 

then  shows  pleasure  at  his  confession  of  ad- 
miration.    Her  face  glows  as  he  proceeds. 

JuDAH.  {^Looking  at  her  with  the  deepest  reverence, 
approaching  her.^  You  are  like  the  picture  of  the 
angel  that  my  mother  hung  over  my  head  when 
I  was  a  child.  I  can't  speak  to  you  as  I  do  to 
others.  [Breathless.]  I  want  to  kneel  and  worship 
you. 

Vashti.  How  can  you  speak  so  ?  You  do  not 
know  me.  You  are  mistaken  in  me.  Oh,  why  do 
you  think  so  well  of  me  !  Can't  you  see  that  I 
have  a  thousand  faults  ?  Indeed,  indeed,  I  am  no 
better  than  other  women. 

JUDAH.  It  is  your  goodness  makes  you  say  that. 

Vashti.  I  am  not  good. 

JuDAH.  How  is  it,  then,  that  you  have  this  strange 
power  over  evil  ?  What  is  it  but  your  goodness 
that  frightens  disease  from  its  hold  ?  See  what  you 
have  done  to-day  ?  But  you  fly  from  your  own 
good  deeds.  You  will  not  hear  the  blessings  of 
those  whom  you  have  healed  and  comforted.  I 
hear  them.  I  treasure  them.  I  know  what  they 
cost  you.  It  is  your  own  life  and  health  you  give 
to  others.  This  afternoon  you  fainted.  I  want 
to  ask  you  to  spare  yourself,  to  waste  your  strength 
no  more. 

Vashti.  I  am  better  now  —  quite  well.  You 
would  wish  me  stay  here  and  try  and  do  this  young 
lady  good  ? 


24  JUDAH  ACT  I 

JuDAH.  I  would  not  have  you  injure  your  own 
health. 

Vashti.  But  if  I  promised  you  that  this  should 
be  the  last  time, — that,  succeed  or  fail,  I  will  try 
no  more, — would  you  not  have  me  do  it  then  ? 

JUDAH.  Yes,  I  would. 

Vashti.  Then  I  will  do  this,  and  for  your  sake 
it  shall  be  for  the  last  time. 

JuDAH.  Thank  you. 

Vashti.  But  oh  !  Mr.  Llewellyn,  you  must  not 
think  so  well  of  me.  You  don't  know  me.  I  am 
not  an  angel,  I  am  a  woman. 

Elite?-  Dethic  at  windotv. 

Dethic.  \Oil}\  bal}ny7[  Quite  recovered,  my 
precious  ?  [Vashti  shows  intense  disgust  at  her 
father  s  tone.^  That's  right.  \Calls  off^  My  lord, 
my  poor  child  is  now  perfectly  restored. 

Enter  Lord  A.  and  Lady  E. 

Lady  E.  \_Excitedly,  speaking  as  she  enters^  Where 
is  she  ?  Introduce  me  !  Never  mind,  I'll  intro- 
duce myself.  {^Going  to  Vashti,  taking  her  hands.^ 
You  are  Vashti  Dethic  ?  I  have  heard  so  much  of 
you.     Is  it  true  you  have  this   wonderful  power  ? 

Enter  Jopp  at  windoiv.     He  pauses,  and  looks  at 
Dethic. 

Vashti.  I  think  I  have  been  the  means  of  re- 
storing some  people  to  health. 


ACT  I  JUDAH  25 

Lady  E.  Can  you  cure  me  ? 

Vashti.  Will  you  let  me  try  ? 

Lady  E.  Yes.  There  is  something  in  the  touch 
of  your  hand.  I  feel  you  have  done  me  good  al- 
ready.    You  must  stay  with  us  now. 

Vashti.  If  Mrs.  Prall  can  spare  me. 

Lady  E.  She  must  !  \^Tiirns  to  Lord  A.]  Then 
that's  settled,  isn't  it  ? 

Lord  A.  I  shall  be  only  too  pleased — if  con- 
venient to  Miss  Dethic. 

Dethic.  Quite,  my  lord.  Quite,  I  assure  you. 
^^^Sho^i'il!g  great  satisfaction. 

Lady  E.  I  will  go  and  tell  }slrs.  Prall  we  are  go- 
ing to  rob  her  of  you.     I  shall  soon  be  well  now. 

Lord  A.  \_Kisses  her,  s/ioius  great  affect  ion. '\  My 
dearest  ! 

Lady  E.  [^Standi fig  at  ^uindotv.^  Doesn't  she  look 
like  a  saint  ?  [Aside  to  Lord  A.]  Perhaps  she  is 
one. 

Lord  A.  If  she  cures  you  she  is. 

[£xit  Lady  Eve  at  ivindo-iv. 

Dethic.  \_After  a  little  hii/n/ning  and  ha7i>ing.'[ 
My  lord,  do  I  understand  that  I  am  included  in  your 
lordship's  kind  invitation  to  Asgarby  Castle  ? 

Lord  A.  Certainly,  Mr.  Dethic. 

Dethic.  Thank  you,  my  lord.  My  dear  child 
will  lay  down  her  life  for  Lady  Eve,  if  necessary. 

Jopp.  How  can  that  be  necessary  ? 

Dethic.  Well,  you  see,  she  is  quite  unable  to 


26  JUDAH  ACT  I 

perform  these  great  cures  without  fasting  for 
weeks,  and  she  is  like  a  dead  creature  afterwards. 

JUDAH.  [  Very  emphatically  to  Vashtl]  You 
shall  not  do  it. 

Dethic.  Of  course  we  don't  expect  any  reward. 
Still,  if  any  trifling  way  of  showing  your  gratitude 
should  suggest  itself — 

[Vashti  rises  as  if  to  stop  Dethic. 

Lord  A.  If  your  daughter  is  the  means  of  bene- 
fiting Lady  Eve,  there  is  nothing  you  can  ask  me 
for,  even  to  the  half  of  all  I  have  in  the  world,  that 
I  will  not  readily  give  you. 

Vashti.  \_Emphatically^   I  will  take  nothing. 

Lord  A.  I  shall  insist  on  making  some  return. 
There  is  surely  something  that  you  wish  for  ? 

Vashti.  No,  nothing.  \_Gla7icing  at  Judah.] 
Yes,  there  is  something. 

Lord  A.  What  is  it  ?• 

Vashti.  May  I  mention  it  to  you  alone  ? 

Lord  A.  Certainly.  [  Taking  her  doum  stage. 

Vashti.  You  have  heard  Mr.  Llewellyn.  He  is 
spending  all  his  life  in  doing  good.  You  do  not 
know  how  great  a  work  he  is  doing.  If  Lady  Eve 
is  well  in  a  year  from  now,  will  you  build  him  a  new 
church,  a  place  worthy  of  him  and  the  truths  he 
speaks  ?  This  is  the  only  thing  I  will  take  from 
you. 

Lord  A.  If  my  child's  life  is  spared,  in  memory 
of  her  restoration  I  will  raise  a  monument;  it  shall 


ACT  I  JUDAH  27 

be  the  most  beautiful  church  in  Beachampton, 
and  I  will  endow  the  minister  with  any  income 
that  you  may  ask. 

Vashti.  Thank  you  !  Thank  you  with  all  my 
heart.  You  will  not  let  him  know.  He  would  not 
accept  it. 

Lord  A.  He  shall  not  know. 

Jopp.  May  I  ask,  Miss  Dethic,  what  is  the  pre- 
cise nature  of  the  cure  you  propose  to  work  upon 
Lady  Eve  ? 

Vashti.  That  is  my  secret. 

Jopp.  Mr.  Llewellyn,  perhaps  you  can  explain 
Miss  Dethic's  method. 

JuDAH.  Miss  Dethic  fasts  for  several  days,  and 
a  strange  unearthly  power  comes  to  her,  which  gives 
her  strength  not  her  own,  to  convey  to  those  whom 
she  desires  to  heal. 

Jopp.  I  don't  quite  follow  the  operation.  So  far 
from  giving  strength,  any  lengthened  period  of  fast- 
ing must  weaken. 

JuDAH.  It  weakens  the  body,  but  it  gives  beauty 
and  strength  to  the  spirit.  [Jopp  shakes  his  head.'\ 
Why  should  it  seem  strange  to  you  ?  Can  you  not 
see  that  Miss  Dethic  is  not  as  others  ? 

Jopp.  Evidently.  [Zi?  Deth.]  Does  she  abstain 
from  all  kinds  of  food  ? 

Dethic.  Absolutely.  \]ovv  whistles  incredulously. 

Vashti.  You  do  not  believe  that  I  fast  ? 

Jopp.  My  dear  young  lady,  I  always  believe 
what's  told  me. 


28  JUDAH  ACT  I 

Dethic.  But  you  whistled  ! 

Jopp.  Yes,  I  did  whistle.  \^Fause. 

JuDAH.  Do  you  deny  her  gifts  ? 

Jopp.  I  have  no  opportunity  of  judging. 

JuDAH.  Inquire  of  those  whom  she  has  cured. 
They  can  testify  to  her  powers. 

Jopp.  Fifteen  years  ago,  sir,  I  analyzed  a  patent 
pill.  It  was  composed  of  harmless,  drastic,  and 
poisonous  drugs  in  about  ec^ual  proportions.  The 
patentee  had  made  a  fortune  out  of  it,  and  thou- 
sands of  his  victims  had  given  him  testimonials. 

JUDAH.   Well? 

Jopp.  Since  then  the  patentee  has  made  another 
fortune,  and  a  thousand  more  victims  have  given 
him  testimonials. 

JUDAH.  Miss  Dethic  has  submitted  herself  to 
every  proof  that  can  be  offered  to  her. 

Jopp.  Not  to  mine. 

[Slight pause.    Judah  looks  at  Vashti,  and 
makes  an  action  as  if  asking  her  to  speak. 

Vashti.  \_Conies  down  to  Jopp.]  Will  you  put  me 
to  your  proof,  sir  ? 

Jopp.  [^Kises  very  quietly.^  Is  it  a  challenge  ? 

Vashti.  As  you  please. 

Jopp.  Um  !  \_Aside  to  Lord  A.]  You  mean  this 
young  lady  to  remain  at  the  Castle  ? 

Lord  A.  Yes  ;  Eve  wishes  it,  and  I  wish  it. 

Jopp.  And  it  is  with  your  consent  that  she  treats 
Lady  Eve  in  some  mysterious,  occult  way  ? 


ACT  I  JUDAH  29 

Lord  A.  If  you  had  but  one  child,  and  you  loved 
her  as  I  love  Eve,  you  would  listen  to  every  quack 
and  charlatan  that  promised  to  give  her  a  few 
months'  life. 

Jopp.  But  your  physicians  ? 

Lord  A.  I've  no  faith  in  them.  They  gave  me 
hopes  of  the  others  to  the  very  last,  and  they  all 
died.  Do  as  you  please  ;  I  leave  this  matter  in 
your  hands. 

Jopp.  You  wish  me  to  act  for  you  ? 

Lord  A.  Yes,  only,  whatever  you  do,  let  Eve 
have  her  own  way  in  everything. 

Jopp.  [To  Vashti.]  You  propose  to  cure  Lady 
Eve  in  your  usual  manner — by  fasting  ? 

Vashti.  Yes. 

Jopp.  You  are  willing  for  me  to  test  the  reality 
of  your  fast  ? 

Vashti.   Have  I  not  said  so  ? 

Jopp.  You  allow  me  to  impose  my  own  condi- 
tions ? 

Vashti.  Impose  what  conditions  you  please. 

Dethic.  At  the  same  time  I  must  warn  you  that 
a  habit  of  doubting,  an  atmosphere  of  unbelief,  does 
very  materially  interfere  with  a — a — 

Jopp.  With  the  success  of  miracles.  Yes,  I've 
noticed  that.  Asgarby,  are  the  rooms  in  the  old 
keep,  the  tower-rooms,  occupied  now  ? 

Lord  A.  No,  they  remain  as  they  were  in  my 
father's  time. 

Jopp.  May  I  use  them  ? 


30  JUDAH  ACT  I 

Lord  A.  Certainl3^ 

Jopp.  Thank  you.  [To  Vashti.]  There  are 
three  very  delightful  rooms  in  the  old  keep.  They 
are  quite  modern.  The  late  Lord  Asgarby  had 
them  fitted  up  for  his  scientific  library.  Have  they 
been  occupied  recently  ? 

[Dethic  a/id  Vashti  s/iow  keen  attention. 

Lord  A.  Yes,  when  we  were  in  Algiers  last  year, 
Roper  lived  in  the  keep,  and  the  jewels  were  kept 
there,  so  I  had  a  new  safety  lock  put  on  the  outer 
door. 

Jopp.  How  many  keys  are  there  to  that  lock  ? 

Lord  A.  Only  one. 

Jopp.  Only  one  !  That  will  do  !  [To  Vashti.]  I 
shall  confide  you  to  my  daughter.  I  shall  give  her 
that  key,  and  she  will  take  care  that  you  have  all 
the  liberty  consistent  with — consistent  with  our 
watching  you  most  thoroughly. 

Vashti.  I  may  see  my  father  sometimes  ? 

[Jopp  looks  curiously  <^?/  Dethic,  who  tries  to  look 
sublimely  unconcerned,  but  fails.  Shuffles, 
a?id  looks  rather  unco7nfortable. 

Jopp.  [After  having  taken  stock  of  Dethic  for 
some  time.^  H'm-m  !     Well,  perhaps  sometimes. 

Dethic.  It's  of  no  consequence. 

Jopp.  And  we  begin,  shall  we  say,  to-morrow 
morning  ? 

Vashti.  This  afternoon — at  once. 


ACT  I  JUDAH  31 

Jopp.  [Aside,  puzzled.']  Now  is  that  girl  really 
humbugging  herself— or  is  she  trying  to  humbug 
me  ?     I'll  give  myself  the  benefit  of  the  doubt. 

Enter  fro?n  window  Lady  Eve  with  Mrs.  Prall, 
followed  by  Prall. 

Lady  E.  [Excited,  restless,  flies  to  \AS}iii.'\  Miss 
Dethic,  Mrs.  Prall  says  you  can  stay  with  me  from 
now,  so  you  are  my  prisoner.  [Sits  beside  her  on 
settee. 

Jopp.  Excuse  me,  Lady  Eve,  for  the  next  three 
weeks  Miss  Dethic  is  my  prisoner. 

Lady  E.  What  do  you  mean  ? 

Jopp.  Miss  Dethic  invariably  fasts  before  curing 
her  patients,  and  as  she  wishes  us  to  be  quite  sure 
that  her  fasting  is  genuine,  she  has  kindly  asked  me 
to  put  her  to  the  test. 

JuxoN.  Allow  me  to  suggest,  Jopp,  that  my  test 
would  be — 

Jopp.  Thank  you,  Mr.  Prall.  I  shall  employ  my 
own  test,  and  I  am  pretty  certain  about  the  result. 

Judah.  Won't  you  wait  until  you've  obtained 
the  result  ? 

Jopp.  You're  right.     I  spoke  too  soon. 

Dethic.  Quite  so.  The  proof  of  the  pudding  is 
in  the  eating. 

Jopp.  Pardon  me.  The  proof  of  the  pudding  is 
in  the  digestion. 

Lady  E.  But  I  may  see  Miss  Dethic  ? 

Jopp.  Certainly,  as  often  as  you  wish. 


32  JUDAH  ACT   I 

Vashti.  As  you  are  to  be  my  jailer,  perhaps 
you  will  kindly  tell  me  your  name. 

JOPP.  My  name  ?  [A  sudden  monosyllable  like  the 
effect  of  a  little  pistol  shot. 'I  Jopp  ! 

Dethic.  Jopp  !  \_Shows  a  sudden  shock  of  stir- 
prise,  as  though  he  were  shot,  but  quickly  recovers. 

Vashti.  \^Looks  at  Jopp.  By  an  inwiense  effort 
does   not  betray   herself.      Very  faintly^    Professor 

Jopp  ? 

Jopp.  You've  heard  of  me. 

Vashti.  The  Professor  Jopp  who  exposed  the 
spiritualists  last  year  ? 

Jopp.  The  same  Professor  Jopp. 

Dethic.  \_Having  perfectly  recovered,  coines  down 
to  Jopp  and  offers  hand.\  My  dear  sir,  let  me  shake 
you  by  the  hand  ;  I'm  proud  to  think  my  dear  child 
has  an  opportunity  of  convincing  the  world-re- 
nowned Professor  Jopp  of  her  extraordinary  powers. 

Jopp.  [  Takes  no  notice  of  his  proffered  hand.'\ 
That's  exactly  what  my  spiritualist  friend  said  to 
me  last  year.  Poor  beggar  !  I  signed  a  petition 
to  the  Home  Secretary  the  other  day  to  get  him 
out  of  jail. 

Vashti.   You  sent  him  to  jail  ? 

Jopp.  No  ;  his  own  cleverness  did  that.  I'm 
trying  to  get  him  out. 

Vashti  looks  frightened  at  him. 

Jopp.  What's  the  matter  ? 

Vashti.  Nothing — nothing  ! 

Jopp.  You  still  agree  to  submit  to  my  test  ? 


ACT!  JUDAH  33 

Vashti.  Yes,  yes — have  I  not  said  yes  ?  Put  me 
to  whatever  test  you  please. 

JuDAH.  You  hear,  sir !  Miss  Dethic  is  in  your 
hands  !  Try  her  !  Lay  snares  !  Set  traps  for  her  ! 
You  have  no  juggling  trickster  to  deal  with  now  ! 
The  power  she  serves  stands  ready  to  vouch  for 
her,  and  your  own  lips  shall  be  the  witness  of  her 
truth  and  goodness  to  all  the  world. 

CURTAIN. 


34  JUDAH 


ACT   II 

Scene.  The  conservatory  and  terrace.  A  conser- 
vatory outside  the  castle,  opening  ofi  to  the  terrace, 
which  runs  along  back  of  stage,  and  shows  a  flight 
of  old  stone  steps  with  a  crumbling  wall  on  each 
side,  covered  with  ivy,  and  overhung  with  the  tops 
of  the  trees ;  a  suggestion  of  considerable  depth 
belotv.  The  steps  lead  up  to  the  old  castle  keep 
A  doorway  with  a  window  over  it.  Beside  the 
windotv  a  stone  seat  cut  deeply  into  the  wall,  with 
steps  leading  on  to  the  ramparts.  This  seat  is 
large  enough  to  conceal  a  man.  Bright  lamp  in 
the  conservatory,  with  wicker  chairs  and  table  on 
stage.  A  flood  of  summer  moonlight  on  the  old 
keep.  Door  opening  from  rooms  in  the  castle.  A 
light  burning  in  windotv  at  the  gate  tower.  A?i 
old  Norman  arch.,  ivy-covered,  with  door  on  right 
of  stage.  Piano  is  being  played  off  stage  and  some 
one  is  singing  j  this  at  suitable  intervals  during  the 
act  until  Lady  Eve's  entrance.  When  curtain 
rises  Judah  comes  from  warder  s  seat  in  recess 
to  top  of  the  steps  J  looks  up  at  window  of  keep ; 
then  after  a  pause  he  sees  Dethic.  He  then  re- 
tires into  the  recess,  and  is  hidden. 


ACT  II  JUDAH  35 

Enter  Dethic  alofig  terrace  in  evening  dress,  as  if 
Just  comi?ig  from  di?itier.  He  enters  very  cau- 
tiously, looking  behind  him  to  see  if  he  is  followed. 
Creeps  cautiously  on  to  terrace  and  looks  up  at 
the  keep ;  ivhistles  up  toivards  gatc-totver  as  if 
desirous  of  attracting  the  attention  of  sotne  one 
within. 

Dethic.  \^0n  terrace  at  bottom  of  the  keep  steps. 
Looks  cautiously  round,  takes  out  a  very  large  new 
key  from  pocket?^  They're  all  pretty  safe  :  the  men 
in  the  dining-room,  the  ladies  in  the  drawing-room. 
I've  a  good  mind  to  risk  it.  \^As  if  carelessly,  but 
really  looking  all  round  to  see  if  he  is  observed,  opens 
the  Norman  gateivay  door;  looks  out  j  shuts  it.  Is 
about  to  go  up  steps,  his  back  being  towards  the  left. 

Sophie,  in  evening  dress,  enters  through  conservatory. 

Sophie.  Mr.  Dethic  ! 

Dethic.  \^Turns  round,  confused.^  Er — you've 
left  the  drawing-room  rather  quickly,  Miss  Jopp  ! 

Sophie.  You've  left  the  dining-room  very  quickly, 
Mr.  Dethic. 

Dethic.  Yes.  I'm  so  fond  of  nature.  Now 
that  scene  !  \^Flourishing  his  right  hand  over  the 
moonlit  landscape,  and  calling  Sophie's  attention  to 
it,  while  his  left  hand  is  putting  the  large  key  into  his 
coat-tail  pocket.  He  is  standing  with  his  back  to  audi- 
ence, so  this  action  is  very  distinct^  To  me  there  is 
something  very  sweetly  mysterious  about  all  that. 

\^He  has  secreted  the  key. 


36  JUDAH  ACT  11 

Sophie.  The  most  sweetly  mysterious  thing  to  me, 
Mr.  Dethic,  is  that  your  daughter  should  have 
looked  so  well  without  food  until  a  few  days  ago. 

Dethic.  Ah,  you  see.  Miss  Jopp,  we  have  stood 
the  ordeal  and  come  out  unscathed. 

Sophie.  There  are  three  days  longer  yet ! 

Dethic.  But  eighteen  days  have  gone  by  with- 
out one  morsel  to  her  lips. 

Sophie.  \_Stares  straight  at  him^  Eh,  Mr.  Dethic? 

Dethic.  You've  kept  the  strictest  watch  over 
her  all  day.  You've  locked  her  up  there  all  night, 
and  you've  never  allowed  the  key  of  the  tower 
rooms  to  pass  for  a  moment  out  of  your  possession. 

Sophie.   No. 

Dethic.  You  have  it  now  ? 

Sophie.  \Prodiices  from  pocket  a  key  exactly  the 
same  in  shape  as  the  one  Dethic  /las  put  into  ///j'.] 
There  it  is.  \_Holds  it  up  so  that  the  audience  can 
distinctly  see  the  likeness  between  the  keys. 

Dethic.  With  that  key  in  your  possession  you 
cannot  entertain  the  least  suspicion  of  our  good 
faith. 

Sophie.  You  see  the  window  to  the  tower-room  ? 
\^Pointing  up  to  the  iviudow  tvhich  is  lighted. 

Dethic.  Yes.  The  room  where  my  dear  child  is 
imprisoned. 

Sophie.  That  window  was  nailed  up  by  my 
father's  orders. 

Dethic.  So  that  no  food  could  possibly  come 
through  that  way. 


ACT  II  JUDAH  37 

Sophie.  Just  so.  Except  that  last  Saturday  I 
discovered  that  one  of  those  little  panes  would  take 
out,  Mr.  Dethic. 

Dethic.  You  don't  say  so  ?  But  you  can't  sup- 
pose that  food  could  be  conveyed  through  one  of 
those  panes  at  that  distance  ?  It's — it's  really  too 
absurd. 

Sophie.  It  is  absurd  ;  yet,  absurd  as  it  is,  your 
daughter's  health  and  spirits,  which  had  kept  up 
precisely  as  if  she  were  being  fed,  declined  from 
the  very  day  that  my  father  and  I  had  a  wire-gauze 
put  over  the  window,  Mr.  Dethic. 

Dethic.  \_Affectiug  asionislunent^  A  wire-gauze  ! 

Sophie.  You  hadn't  noticed,  perhaps. 

Dethic.  [^Telling  a  good,  solid  lie.'\   No. 

Sophie.  Strange  !  And  what  is  also  strange  is 
that  since  last  Saturday  your  daughter  has  shown 
every  symptom  of  starving !  \^Accidentally  raises 
her  voice  a  little,  and  speaks  the  word  in  such  a  tone 
that  it  can  be  heard  by  Judah. 

Dethic  Starving  ! 

Sophie.  \In  an  unconcerned  tone.'\  Yes  ;  absurd, 
isn't  it?     I'm  just  going  to  her. 

Dethic.  Shall  we  escort  her  to  the  drawing- 
room  ?  Yes,  I  think  we  will  !  [  With  great  eager- 
ness, going  towards  Sophie. 

Sophie.  No,  I  think  we  won't  !  [Dethic's  face 
falls  very  much?[  At  least  not  till  my  father  comes 
from  the  dining-room.  But  Miss  Dethic  can  walk 
along  the  terrace  here,  if — 


38  JUDAH  ACT  II 

Dethic.  [Again  delighted^  Yes,  if — 

Sophie.  If  you'll  be  good  enough  to  keep  at  the 
other  end  of  it. 

Dethic.  [Again  shows  great  disappointmetit^ 
Oh,  by  all  means.  [^ovYii's.  goes  up  steps — takes  out 
her  key.  Aside.^  Oh,  you  duck  !  [Shakes  his  fist 
at  her  as  she  goes  up  steps. 

Sophie.  [Suddenly  turns  round;  nearly  catches 
him  in  his  threatening  attitude.  He  drops  it,  tries  to 
look  unconcernedi\   Eh  ? 

Dethic.  Eh  ? 

Sophie.  You  spoke? 

Dethic.  No,  no  ;  merely  thought  out  loud.  The 
dining-room  windows  are  open,  I  see.  I'll  rejoin 
his  lordship. 

[Sophie  goes  to  the  top  of  steps  and  opens  the 
keep  door.     Dethic  makes  a  griinace  at  her 

and  goes  off  along  terrace. 

Sophie.  [Calling.']  Miss  Dethic  !  [Vashti,  in 
white,  conies  to  the  keep  door.  A  marked  differeiice 
from  the  last  act;  very  haggard  and  tueak,  but  with 
an  expression  of  fixed  endura?ice.  JuDAH  looks 
doiun  from  the  warder  s  seat  and  listens.]  I  hope 
you  are  better. 

Vashti.  [At  top  of  steps.]  I  am  quite  well.  Why 
do  you  always  ask  so  anxiously  after  me  ? 

Sophie.  I  was  afraid  you  might  not  be  able  to 
hold  out  three  days  longer. 

Vashti.  You  needn't  fear. 


ACT  11  JUDAH  39 

Sophie.  Would  you  like  to  walk  on  the  terrace 
for  a  little  while  ? 

Vashti.  Yes.  [^Co»ies  dozen.  JVith  foj'ced  cheer- 
fulness?^ What  a  lovely  night  !  I  could  dance  with 
delight. 

\Runs  quickly  past  Sophie  ^vith  affected  gaiety. 
Stops  exhausted  at  bottom. 

Sophie.  Ah  !  You're  playing  a  very  foolish  game. 

Vashti.  \^Nettlcd^p7'oiid,  drazos  herself  to  her  full 
height.'\  I'm  playing  no  game,  except  with  death, 
for  dear  Lady  Eve's  life,  and  I  shall  win.  [Sophie 
shrugs  her  shoulders?^  You  think  I  am  cheating  you. 

Sophie.  No,  I  think  you  are  cheating  yourself. 
I  shall  be  at  the  end  of  the  terrace  with  your 
father,  so  you  are  quite  free  for  the  time. 

\^Exit  along  terrace  after  Dethic.  Vashti 
watches  her  off.  Judah  ivatches  her  also, 
and  comes  down  steps  gradually. 

Vashti.  \^Sinks  into  seat.  Aside.]  Why  doesn't 
my  father  bring  me  something  ?  If  there  were  any 
berries — anything  to  stop  these  wolves  that  gnaw 
me  !  Why  shouldn't  I  give  in  ?  And  let  Mr.  Llew- 
ellyn know  me  for  what  I  am  ?  No,  I  dare  not  ! 
I'll  starve  to  death  before  he  shall  think  me  a 
cheat.  Besides,  am  I  a  cheat  ?  I  do  not  willingly 
deceive  them. 

Judah.  [Has  come  down  steps  behind  her.]  jNIiss 
Dethic. 


40  JUDAH  ACT  II 

Vashti.  \_Turning  ivith great  surprise?^  Mr.  Llew- 
ellyn !     How  did  you  get  here  ? 

JUDAH.  I  climbed  up  from  the  moat. 

Vashti.  From  the  moat  ?  \Looks  over  the  para- 
pet;  shuddersl\  How  could  you  do  such  a  danger- 
ous thing  ?     You  might  have  been  killed. 

JUDAH.  You  forget  ;  I  was  a  shepherd  all  my 
youth.  Before  I  was  twelve  I  climbed  the  side  of 
a  mountain  three  times  as  high  as  this  for  a  bird's 
nest. 

Vashti.  Three  times  as  high  as  this  ! 

JUDAH.  I  was  dared  to  do  it.  I  brought  the 
young  ones  down  to  the  ground,  and  when  I  heard 
the  mother  crying  for  them,  I  climbed  up  again 
and  put  them  back  in  the  nest. 

Vashti.  \Again  looking  dozvn.~\  It  makes  me 
giddy  to  look  down.     Why  have  you  come  here  ? 

JUDAH.  To  be  near  you.  I've  been  here  every 
night  since  you  have  been  in  the  castle. 

Vashti.  Every  night  ? 

JuDAH.  Yes.     I  couldn't  keep  away. 

Vashti.  You  haven't  seen — no  one  has  seen 
you  ? 

JUDAH.  No,  I  think  not.  They  all  sleep  on  the 
other  side  of  the  house  ;  and  look — \Pointiug  up  to 
the  warder's  seat] — that  seat  in  the  hollow  in  the 
wall  yonder  seems  to  have  been  built  on  purpose 
that  I  might  watch  over  you. 

[Cof/ies  dow7i  on  to  terrace. 

Vashti.  Lady  Eve  told  me  it  was  the  warder's 


ACT  II  JUDAH  41 

place  in  the  olden  times  ;  that  stone  seat  was  his 
bed. 

JuDAH.  It  has  been  mine.  [^Coines  to  her.  Jopp 
enters  into  conservatory.  Conies  in  carelessly  from 
dinner.  Stops  suddenly  and  listens^  I've  stayed  here 
half  the  night  praying  that  strength  might  be  given 
you  to  finish  your  task.  In  three  days  your  trial 
will  be  over  ;  you  will  have  wrestled  for  Lady  Eve's 
life,  and  you  will  have  conquered.  I  heard  that 
girl  taunt  you  just  now.  She  does  not  believe  in 
you. 

Vashti.  But  you  believe  in  me. 

JUDAH.  You  know  I  do.  You  know  I  have 
never  doubted  you. 

Jopp.  \_Aside.'\  My  young  Welshman  is  honest. 
I  knew  he  Avas  !  \Exit. 

Vashti.  Thank  you,  thank  you,  Mr.  Llewellyn, 
with  all  my  heart.  You  don't  know  how  those 
words  help  me. 

JuDAH.  {^Approaching  her.^  Help  you  !  I  help  you  ! 
Oh,  you're  above  me,  like  heaven  itself.  But  hear 
me.     I  must  tell  you — I  love  you  ! 

Vashti.  Mr.  Llewellyn,  say  no  more. 

JuDAH.  I  love  you.  Forgive  my  daring  to  say 
it.  I'm  mad  to  speak  of  human  love  to  you.  You're 
scarcely  of  this  world  at  all.  Oh  !  but  I  love  you, 
I  love  you  !  From  the  first  moment  I  saw  you, 
when  that  poor  woman  tried  to  thank  you  for  the 
health  you  had  given  her,  and  your  face  turned  to 
her  like  an  angel's  in  your  pity,  I  have  loved  you. 


42  JUDAH  ACT   II 

You  have  been  the  secret  spring  of  all  my  power 
When  I  speak  to  the  people,  it  is  your  voice  that 
speaks  through  me.  Your  love  is  a  flame  on  my 
tongue.  All  the  world  is  transfigured  because  you 
are  in  it.  When  I  walk  along  the  streets  all  the 
men  and  women  seem  to  be  smitten  with  your 
beauty.  There  is  nothing  common  or  mean  or 
wicked  anywhere  :  everything  is  good  and  bright 
and  pure.  Your  presence  makes  all  the  earth 
beautiful  and  sacred,  and  your  goodness  is  like 
your  beauty,  it  spreads  goodness  all  round  you,  as 
your  beauty  spreads  beauty.  You  make  me  half 
divine.     I  love  you,  I  love  you  ! 

\^Has  sunk  on  his  knees. 

Vashti.  \Her  face  has  shoivn  alternate  pain  and 
pleasure.  She  speaks  very  quietly^  If  I  were  not 
good — if  I  were  wicked  ? 

JuDAH.  You  cannot  be  other  than  yourself. 

Vashti.  But  would  you  love  me,  whatever  I  was  ? 
Satisfy  my  woman's  curiosity — would  you  love  me 
if  I  were  not  good  ? 

JuDAH.  If  you  were  not  good  it  would  not  be 
you.     \_Looking  at  her  closely. \    What  do  you  mean  ? 

\^Pause. 

Vashti.  [Assuming  quiet,  matter-of-fact  tone.'\ 
Nothing.  I  only  asked  out  of  curiosity.  You 
must  go.  [JuDAH  turns  azcay.]  Miss  Jopp  will  be 
.coming  soon.     Good-night. 

JuDAH.  You  are  not  offended  ? 

Vashti.  [  Very  calm,  without  showing  any  trace  of 


ACT  n  JUDAH  43 

feeling^  Offended ! — no.  Oh,  please  say  no 
more. 

JuDAH.  [After  a  patise  of  pain^i^  I  will  not — but 
I  am  as  you  are — something  apart  from  other  men 
and  women.  All  my  life  has  been  different  from 
others.  Till  six  years  ago  I  never  had  any  com- 
panions but  the  hills  and  my  father's  cattle.  Till 
I  saw  you  I  had  never  known  what  the  love  of  man 
for  woman  was. 

Vashti.  You  have  never  loved  any  one  before  ? 

JuDAH.  Never.  To-night  I  have  spoken  the 
only  words  of  love  that  I  shall  ever  speak.  [Her 
face  glows  with  delight.']  No  woman  will  ever  again 
hear  me  say  that  I  love  her. 

Vashti.  [Aside.]  Oh  !  [  With  great  delight.]  Are 
you  sure  of  that  ? 

JuDAH.  Quite  sure.  It  is  not  possible  for  me  to 
love  again. 

Vashti.  Hark  !  Some  one's  coming.  You  must 
go.     Quick  ! 

[JUDAH  rufis  up  steps  ;  then  gets  over  the  parapet. 
Vashti  folloivs  to  top  of  steps. 

JuDAH.  [Descending  the  wall  of  the  moat.]  Good- 
bye !     Give  me  that  handkerchief  you  wear. 

[6*/;!^  takes  the  handkerchief  from  her  neck  and 
throws  it  to  him.  He  catches  it,  Vashti 
leans  over  parapet. 


44  JUDAH  ACT  II 

Vashti.  Take  care,  take  care  !  [^He  goes  doivn  ; 
disappears.']  Oh,  if  he  were  killed  I  would  dash  my- 
self over  too,  and  die  with  him  !  ^Looks  again  j 
whispers  doiaii.'\     Are  you  safe  ? 

JuDAH.  l^Beloiu.]  Quite  ;  do  not  fear. 

Vashti.  If  I  had  the  courage  to  tell  him  !  If 
he  could  know  the  truth  of  me,  and  yet  love 
me  !  I  will.  I  wiil  tell  him  ;  and  yet — I  dare  not. 
Oh,  if  you  knew  how  it  breaks  my  heart  to  deceive 
you  ! 

D ETHIC,  7vith  cigar  lighted,  saunters  on  furtively 
along  terrace.  Vashti  is  bending  over  par- 
apet. 

Dethic.  [/«  a  loud  whisper.]  Vashti ! 

Vashti.  ^Turns  round.]  Bring  me  some  food  ; 
I'm  perishing  with  hunger. 

Dethic.  By  and  by.  I've  been  to  London,  and 
Tozer — 

Vashti.  Hush  ! 
Sophie  enters  along  terrace,  and  overhears  Dethic's 
last  zvords.     Dethic  is  confused. 

Dethic.  S^Going  on.]  Yes,  I  saw  Tozer,  and  he 
said —  [6"^^^  Sophie  y  stops. 

Sophie.  [To  Dethic]  Pray  don't  let  me  inter- 
rupt Mr.  Tozer's  message. 

Dethic.  [Confused.]  Oh,  Tozer  said  nothing  of 
importance — 

Sophie.  Ah  !  A  member  of  Parliament  possibly, 
or  a  popular  preacher.     Will  you   come  with    me 


ACT  II  JUDAH  45 

into  the  drawing-room,  Miss  Dethic,  or  do  you  pre- 
fer being  alone  ? 

Vashti.  [At  top  of  steps^^  I  would  rather  be 
alone.     \Aside?^     He  loves  me  !  he  loves  me  ! 

Sophie.  You  are  sure  you  won't  take  any  food  ? 

[Dethic  sig?is  to  her  to  say  No,  u?isee?i  by  Sophie. 

Vashti.  I  do  not  need  it. 

[Fale,  fixed,  determined.  Goes  in  to  keep  gate- 
way. Sophie  shrugs  her  shoulders.  Goes 
up  steps  to  faste?i  the  gate. 

Dethic.  Do  you  hear  that  ?  This  is  a  glorious 
triumph  for  us. 

Sophie.  [Turtis  on  step,  fixing  hini.^  Ah,  you 
have  dined  ;  your  daughter  hasnt! 

Dethic.  [Aside]  If  you  don't  come  to  some  bad, 
wicked  end,  it  7c///  be  a  pity. 

[£xit  along  terrace.  Sophie  comes  dotvn,  hav- 
ing locked  door. 

JuxON  Prall  enters  through  conservatory,  in  a 
towering  rage. 

JuxoN.  [Throws  book  on  table.]  Really,  it's  most 
lamentable  !  [Goes  xip  stage;  leans  on  wall. 

Sophie.  What  is  ? 

JuxoN.  For  the  past  six  years  I  have  endeavoured 
to  instil  into  my  poor  dear  mother's  mind  the  mer- 
est elements  of  logic.  Will  you  believe  me.  Miss 
Jopp,  that  she  fails  to  grasp  the  necessary  conse- 
quence in  the  simplest  syllogism  ? 


46  JUDAH  ACT  II 

Sophie.  How  strange  it  is,  Mr.  Juxon,  that  peo- 
ple like  your  parents  should  possess  such  a  gifted 
son  as  you  ! 

Juxon.  It  is  one  of  the  freaks  of  heredity.  My 
brother  James  is  not  gifted.  When  I  think  of  poor 
James,  I  am  ashamed  of  my  attainments. 

Sophie.  Why  ? 

Juxon.  James  being  quite  a  fool,  I  feel  that  I 
have  unintentionally  deprived  him  of  his  intellec- 
tual birthright. 

Sophie.  You  ought  to  feel  grateful  for  your  own 
extraordinary  endowments. 

Juxon.  \_Approachitig  her^  Then  you — you  really 
have  the  penetration.  Miss  Jopp,  to  see  that  my 
acquirements  are — if  I  may  say  so  without  egoism 
— not  quite  of  the  common  order  ? 

\^He  somehow  gets  her  hand,  and  continues  during 
the  scene  nursing  it  between  both  of  his  in 
a  seesaw  tvay,  moving  her  hand  between  his 
up  and  doivn  about  four  inches  below  his 
chin,  and  using  them  to  emphasize  his  dis- 
course occasionally. 

Sophie.  I  never  met  with  any  one  quite  so  con- 
genial to  me. 

Juxon.  Really — really — Miss  Jopp,  your  mind, 
though  necessarily  possessing  some  feminine  limita- 
tions, is  one  of  the  most  philosophic  I  have  ever 
met.     In  fact,  for  some   time  past — ever  since  we 


ACT  11  JUDAH  47 

attended  those  lectures  by  Professor  Dobney  last 
season — 

Sophie.  On  mental  pathology  ;  very  interesting, 
but  Dobney  is  quite  wrong  in  his  deductions. 

JuxoN.  Decidedly  Dobney  is  wrong — deplorably 
wrong.  Dobney  is  an  insufferable,  self-satisfied 
prig.  I  shall  be  compelled  to  tell  Dobney  my  opin- 
ion of  him  one  of  these  days.  [Paitse.^  But — 
we'll  leave  Dobney  for  the  time,  and,  as  I  was  say- 
ing— as  I  was  saying — 

\^Hesitates;  gets  a  little  confused^ 

Sophie.  \Helping  him?^  Shall  we  sit  down  ? 

JuxoN.  \_Looks  round^  No;  no,  I  don't  think  so. 
I  think  I  can  formulate  my  thoughts  better  stand- 
ing.    You'll  permit  me  to  speak  quite  frankly  ? 

Sophie.  Do  so  ;  I  wish  it. 

JuxoN.  In  approaching  the  really  momentous 
subject  of  marriage — \^Paiise^  Have  I  made  it 
plain  to  you  that  I  am  about  to  suggest  that  we 
should  become  united  for  life  ? 

Sophie.  [  Unembarrassed?^   I  gathered  as  much. 

JuxoN.  Thank  you.  I  have  considered  the  mat- 
ter very  carefully,  and — you  fully  understand,  do 
you  not,  that  I  am  now  making  you  a  definitive  offer 
of  marriage  ? 

Sophie.  \(2itite  unembarrassed?^  Oh  yes.  And  I 
may  say  frankly,  Mr.  Juxon,  I  am  disposed  to  ac- 
cept you — under  certain  conditions. 

Juxon.  Pecuniary,  I  suppose  ?  You  are  aware  I 
am  quite    dependent  upon   my  father.     I   cannot 


48  JUDAH  ACT  II 

truthfully  affirm  that  my  poor  father  is  of  the  slight- 
est use  in  the  world,  and  yet,  so  far  as  I  can  judge, 
there  is  very  little  prospect  of  his  immediately  re- 
tiring from  it.  Not  that  I  wish  him  to  do  so;  still, 
it  would  simplify  matters.  However,  as  I  am  one 
of  his  only  two  children,  I  suppose  he  will  make 
some  provision  for  me. 

Sophie.  My  objections  were  not  pecuniary,  but 
physiological. 

JuxoN.  Very  necessary  !  Extremely  necessary  ! 
How  sensible  of  you  !  The  neglect  of  the  simplest 
physiological  principles  is  simply  deplorable.  But, 
my  dear  Miss  Jopp,  my  physical  development, 
though  somewhat  retarded  by  my  great  mental 
exertions,  is  in  the  most  satisfactory  state. 

Sophie.  You  had  a  bad  cough  last  winter. 

JuxoN.  Nothing,  nothing,  I  assure  you.  [^Strikes 
his  chest  twice  with  Sophie's  ha?td.  Coughs.]  My 
lungs  are  organically  sound.  In  fact,  for  a  man  of 
medium  height  and  build,  my  whole  frame  is  un- 
usually vigorous  and  elastic.  However,  I  would, 
of  course,  insure  my  life  ;  and  it  might  perhaps  be 
some  satisfaction  to  you  if  I  were  to  bring  you  the 
certificate  from  the  Life  Insurance  Society. 

Sophie.  If  you  don't  mind. 

JuxoN.  Not  at  all.  Then  I  suppose  we  may 
consider  the  matter  settled. 

Sophie.  [  U?imoved.'\  Quite  so — so  far  as  I  am 
concerned. 

JuxoN.  There's  nothing  else  to  discuss  ? 


ACT  11  JUDAH  49 

Sophie.  No,  not  that  I  remember. 

l^Long  pause.  He  retains  her  hand;  is  about  to 
raise  it  to  his  lips,  then  is  undecided  whether 
he  should  kiss  her  face.  She  appears  abso- 
lutely indifferefit.  He  hesitates  between  her 
lips  and  her  hand;  finally  raises  her  ha?id  to 
his  lips,  kisses  it  rather  gingerly,  drops  it 
suddenly.  Sophie  goes  down  right.  JuxON 
goes  to  table,  takes  his  book,  and  returns  be- 
fore speaking. 

{Pause. \ 

JuxoN.  I  really  think  we  may  congratulate  our- 
selves. 

Sophie.  Um  !     I  wonder  where  everybody  is. 

JuxoN.  I  trust  you  don't  feel  dull. 

Sophie.  {Quickly^    Not  at  all. 

JuxoN.  I'm  glad  of  that.  {Takes  her  hand  as 
before.'\  We  might  perhaps  now  sit  down  for  a 
while.     Shall  we  ? 

Sophie.  Yes.  {They  sit. ^  How  quickly  we  came 
to  a  perfect  understanding  ! 

TuxoN.  Yes.  {Pauses^  I  do  really  think  we 
may  congratulate  ourselves. 

Sophie.  I  think  so. 

Jopp  and  Prall  come  into  co?iservatory  smoking, 
and  stand  with  backs  to  audience. 

JuxoN.  Our  fathers  —  there's  no  necessity  to 
mention  our  decision  to  them  at  present. 


5©  JUDAH  ACT  II 

Sophie.  [^After  a  pause  of  consideratmi^  No,  I 
should  say  not.  Marriage  being  a  purely  personal 
matter — 

JuxoN.  Quite  so, 

Sophie.  It  concerns  ourselves  only. 

JuxoN.  Precisely.  I  shall,  of  course,  inform  my 
poor  father  and  mother  before  we  marry. 

Sophie.  Yes.  I  may  possibly  tell  my  father,  but 
he'll  not  interfere  ;  he's  far  too  sensible. 

JuxoN.  I  wish  I  could  say  the  same  of  mine. 

Jopp.  \_Saunters  on  to  terrace.~\  Oh,  here  you  are. 
How's  our  prisoner  ? 

Sophie.  Hungry.  i\Ir.  Dethic  seems  most  anx- 
ious to  speak  to  her. 

Jopp.  She  has  already  had  one  visitor. 

Sophie.  Who  ? 

Jopp.  That  strange  young  minister,  Mr.  Llewel- 
lyn, has  been  here.  I  heard  him  speak  to  her  a 
few  minutes  ago. 

Sophie.  He  may  have  brought  her  food. 

Jopp.  Oh,  no.  I  heard  quite  enough  to  satisfy 
me.  Besides,  there's  no  doubt  about  his  honesty. 
He's  a  fanatic,  but  he's  as  true  as  the  day. 

Mr.  v.  Eighteen  days  gone  out  of  the  twenty- 
one.     Come,  Jopp,  what  do  you  say  now  ? 

Jopp.  Miss  Dethic  is  a  marvel. 

Mr.  p.  You  candidly  confess  yourself  beaten  ? 

Jopp.  I  candidly  confess,  Prall,  I  don't  know 
how  it's  done. 


ACT  II  JUDAH  51 

Dethic  strolls  on  to  terrace  with  cigar.     Listeningy 
leans  against  wall. 

Mr.  p.  Oh,  come,  come,  Jopp  ;  you  don't  suspect 
any  trickery  ? 

Jopp.  My  dear  Prall,  I've  lived  sixty  years  in 
this  world.  I  have  never  met  with  a  single  instance 
of  cheating  or  deception  or  fraud  of  any  descrip- 
tion. I  am  told  such  things  are  occasionally  prac- 
tised on  this  planet,  though  happily  not  in  this  de- 
gree of  longitude.  Still,  I  do  occasionally  meet 
with — 

Mr.  p.  With  what  ? 

Jopp.  With  things  that  puzzle  me.  However,  no 
amount  of  evidence  that  my  eyes  or  ears  can  bring 
shall  ever  shake  my  theory  that  human  nature  is 
absolutely  above  suspicion. 

Mr.  p.  Now,  Jopp,  I  consider  that  very  unhand- 
some. You  find  yourself  beaten,  and  you  hint  at 
treachery.  [Dethic  is  listening  on  terrace. 

Sophie.  We  are  not  beaten  yet,  Mr.  Prall.  There 
are  three  days  more,  and  we  intend  from  to-morrow 
to  watch  Miss  Dethic  more  closely. 

Dethic.  [Aside.]  Oh,  you  beauty  !  [Conies  for- 
ward. Mrs.  Prall  enters  at  conseri'atorj.]  You 
may  make  what  rules  you  like.  Miss  Jopp.  My 
dear  child  will  prove  herself  triumphant,  as  she  has 
done  hitherto.     Has  she  not,  Mrs.  Prall  ? 

Mrs.  p.  She  has,  indeed.  I'm  quite  sure  there 
is  no  deception.        [£xit  Dethic  through  archway 


52  JUDAH  ACT   II 

Enter  Lady  Eve  and  Lord  A.  on  terrace. 

Lady  E.  What  are  you  talking  about  ?  Miss 
Dethic  ?  I'm  sure  she  has  this  strange  power,  what- 
ever it  is.  Since  she  has  been  in  the  house  I've 
felt  so  much  better. 

Lord  A.  \^To  Jopp,  aside^^  You  hear  that  ? 

Lady  E.  Isn't  she  coming  to  say  good-night  to 
me  ? 

Sophie.  I'll  bring  her  to  you. 

\^Goes  up  the  keep  steps  and  opens  door.'\ 

Mrs.  p.  [^Aside  to  Juxon.]  I  wish,  Juxon,  you 
wouldn't  be  so  friendly  with  that  girl.  She  seems 
to  me  a  highly  unsuitable  companion  for  a  young 
man. 

Juxon.  We  will  not  discuss  that  question  just 
now,  my  dear  mother. 

Sophie.  \^At  top  of  steps,  calls.^  Miss  Dethic  ! 
[Vashti  appears  from  tower  doorJ]  Lady  Eve 
wants  to  say  good-night  to  you. 

Vashti  runs  down  steps  tvith  bravado  and  assmned 
cheerfulness  to  Lady  Eve.  They  go  down  stage 
together. 

Jopp.  {^Aside,  ^catching  her.^  Very  well  put  on, 
young  lady;  very  well  put  on. 

[Sophie  has  come  down  steps.  ]vxo:<!  joins  her 
at  back.  They  cross  together  and  exeunt 
alojis:  terrace. 


ACT  II  JUDAH  53 

Lord  A.  How  are  you  this  evening,  Miss 
Dethic  ? 

Vashti.  Quite  well,  Lord  Asgarby — wonderfully 
well.  [  With  assumed  gaiety^  We'll  take  a  run  in 
the  garden — shall  we,  Lady  Eve  ? 

Lady  E.  \^Excitedlyi\  Yes  ;  let's  race  to  the  lodge 
gates.  Professor  Jopp,  !Miss  Dethic  will  win  the 
day. 

Jopp.  Apparently. 

Lady  E.  You  see  strength  does  come  to  those 
to  whom  she  wills  it. 

Jopp.  Yes,  I  see. 

Lady  E.  You  are  quite  convinced  ? 

Jopp.  Quite. 

Lady  E.  Then  there  is  no  necessity  for  her  to 
fast  any  longer  ? 

Jopp.  None  whatever.  I  cordially  recommend 
her  to  give  up  her  dangerous  experiment. 

Vashti.  I  shall  not  give  up  my  experiment,  dan- 
gerous or  not.  \^To  Lady  E.]  Come,  it's  stifling 
here.  We'll  race  to  the  lodge — no,  to  the  lake  or 
anywhere. 

Lady  E.  \_Catchhig  her  excitettient^  Yes.  Come 
along. 

Jopp.  {^Intercepts  them  as  they  are  going.'\  Stay, 
Miss  Dethic.  If  you  care  for  her  health,  persuade 
her  not  to  stay  up.  Come,  Lady  Eve,  it's  nearly 
ten  o'clock,  and  whatever  ISIiss  Dethic's  mysterious 
method  is,  it  is  far  more  likely  to  act  if  you  keep 
early  hours.     Come,  say  good-night. 


54  JUDAH  ACT  II 

Lady  E.  No.  [  Turns  away  petulantly^  I  don't 
want  to  go  to  bed.  I  never  really  feel  alive  till  after 
dinner.  Miss  Dethic — [Vashti  goes  to  her] — I 
want  to  stay  near  you.  Come  !  The  moonlight's 
lovely.     Our  race  !  [Jopp  again  intercepts  them. 

Jopp.  The  night  air  by  the  lake  is  dangerous, 
Miss  Dethic.     Persuade  her  to  go  to  bed. 

Vashti.  [^After  a  pause;  to  Lady  Eve.]  Pro- 
fessor Jopp  is  right.     Say  good-night  to  us. 

[Prall  rises,  and  exit  with  Mrs.  P. 

Lady  E.  \^Pouti7ig.\  Oh,  very  well.  \^Kisses  her. 
To  Lord  A.]   Good-night. 

Lord  A.  Good-night,  my  dear. 

Mrs.  p.  Good-night,  Lady  Eve. 

[^Exeunt  Mr.  a?id  Mrs.  Prall. 

Lord  A.  [Kisses  her  very  passionately.]  You'll 
soon  be  fast  asleep. 

Lady  E.  \^Excitedly.]  No,  I  shan't.  I  never  slept 
till  three  last  night.  And  then  I  dreamed — I  had 
the  strangest  dream  about  you.  \^Eufis  to  Vashti.] 
I  must  tell  you.  \_Kneels  by  her.]  I  dreamed  we 
were  drowning  together.  Professor  Jopp,  have 
you  ever  been  nearly  drowned  ?  It's  enchanting! 
At  first  we  tried  to  swim,  and  it  was  hard  work  to 
keep  up;  and  the  waves  dashed  over  us,  and  took 
away  our  breath;  and  then  I  caught  you  in  my  arms, 
and  I  said,  "  Don't  let  us  try  to  keep  alive  any  more. 
Let's  sink,  and  see  what  it  is  like."  And  I  felt  so 
strong.  I  dragged  you  under  the  water  ;  it  was  de- 
lightful !     Down — down — down — I  felt  like  a  mer- 


ACT  II  JUDAH  55 

maid  dragging  you  down  to  my  home  ;  and  we  kept 
on  sinking,  and  the  deeper  we  got  the  clearer  and 
sweeter  the  water  was:  it  was  full  of  lovely  gold 
and  silver  fish,  and  they  swam  round  us  ;  and  we 
went  through  gardens  of  waving  purple  seaweed, 
and  all  the  little  bubbles  in  the  water  turned  into 
diamonds  and  hung  round  our  necks,  and  dragged 
us  deeper  still,  and  we  kept  on  falling  for  hours  ; 
and  at  last  you  wanted  to  leave  me,  but  I  clung  to 
you  and  pulled  you  down,  and  said,  "  How  can  you 
want  to  go  back  to  that  hateful  world  ?  Come 
down  and  drown  with  me,  drown — drown — drown!  " 
And  you  said,  "  Let  me  go — I  want  to  get  back  to 
life.  There  is  some  one  who  loves  me  up  there." 
And  I  said,  "  There  are  two  who  love  you  down 
here — Death  and  I.  Stay  with  us  and  die.  You 
don't  know  how  sweet  it  is."  But  you  kissed  me 
and  said  good-bye  ;  and  I  tried  to  keep  you,  but 
you  faded  out  of  my  arms  ;  and  when  I  tried  to 
hold  you,  there  was  no  one  there,  and  I  cried  out, 
"  Stay  with  me — stay  with  me  !  "  And  then  I 
woke,  and  I  was  crying,  and  it  was  just  daylight  ! 
You  won't  leave  me  !  [  Throwifig  her  arms  round 
Vashti,  desperately  weepings  her  head  o?i  Vashti's 
kfiee. 

Vashti.  Do  not  fear.  If  I  cannot  bring  you 
back  to  life  with  me,  I  will  stay  and  drown  with 
you. 

Re-enter  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prall. 

Ladv  E.  {^Kisses  her  passionately;  throws  her  arms 


56  JUDAH  ACT  II 

around  Vashti's  ncck?^  I  don't  want  to  go  away 
from  you. 

Jopp.  \Has  been  listening  and  showing  i?npatie}ice 
a?id  anxiety  at 'Lagy  Eve's  excitement.^  Come,  Lady 
Eve,  this  excitement  will  never  do.  Come,  come  ! 
Bed,  bed,  bed  !     Say  good-night. 

Lady  E.  Good-night,  Professor  Jopp. 

{^Shakes  his  hand,  then  crosses  to  conservatory  steps. 

Jopp.  And  no  dreams  to-night. 

Lady  E.  \0n  conservatory  steps ^  Yes,  I  shall 
dream  of  you. 

Jopp.  You  won't  drown  me  ? 

Lady  E.   No,  I'll  fly  away  with  you  to  the  stars. 

\^Kisses  her  hand  to  Vashti,  and  exit  through 
conservator])' 

Re-enter  Dethic  at  archway. 

Jopp.  [Aside  stern/y  to  Vashti.]  If  you  wish  to 
keep  her  alive,  don't  let  her  excite  herself  as  she 
has  done  to-night.     You  understand  ? 

Vashti.  [Pause.^  I  understand. 

[£xit  Jopp  a/ong  terrace.     Vashti  goes  up  to 
terrace. 

Mr.  p.  [CordiaUy^^  She's  wonderfully  improved, 
Asgarby. 

Dethic.  I  told  Lord  Asgarby  how  it  would  be. 
I  hope,  my  lord,  you  are  satisfied. 

Lord  A.  She  certainly  seems  better. 

Roper  enters  through  conservatory. 


ACT  II  JUDAH  57 

Roper.  Mr.  Prall's  carriage.  \^Exit. 

Re-eiiter  Sophie  a)id  Juxon. 

Mr.  p.  Good-night,  Asgarby.  We'll  come  over 
again  on  Monday.     Good-night,  Miss  Dethic. 

\^Shakes  hands  and  crosses  to  co?iservaiory. 

Mrs.  p.  [^Shakes  hands  with  Lord  A.  To 
Vashti.]  Good-night,  dear.  \Kisses\ x^inii.  Theft 
crosses  to  conservatory^]     Are  you  ready,  Juxon  ? 

Juxon.  \_Lighting  cigarette^  I  would  prefer  to 
walk.  Our  drive  home  from  the  Selwyns'  the  other 
night  was  far  from  pleasant  to  me. 

Mr.  p.  You  would  insist  on  arguing  all  the  way. 

Juxon.  My  dear  father,  when  you  advance  such 
extraordinary  opinions,  how  can  I  refrain  from  en- 
deavouring to  put  you  right  ?  Ah,  when  shall  I 
reconcile  myself  to  the  inevitable  folly  of  the  vast 
majority  of  my  fellow-creatures  ? 

Mr.  p.  Sooner  than  the  majority  of  your  fellow- 
creatures  will  reconcile  themselves  to  your  wisdom. 

Mrs.  p.  Then  you'll  walk  home,  Juxon  ? 

Juxon.  If  you  don't  mind.  I'm  really  afraid  of 
being  drawn  into  some  discussion  with  you  or  my 
father,  and  really  I  am  not  equal  to  the  exertion 
to-night — I'm  not,  indeed  ! 

Mr.  p.  Very  well,  my  boy,  we  will  spare  you  our 
company. 

[Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prall  and  Lord   A.  exeunt 
through  conservatory. 

Dethic.  [Creeping  up  to  Vashti,   aside  to  her. 


58  JUDAH  ACT  II 

Look  out  for  me  as  soon  as  the  house  is  asleep. 
[Sophie  turtis  sharply,  nearly  catching  him.^  A 
lovely  moon  !  [£xil  along  terrace. 

Sophie.  \^Asideto]\i^o^7\  Don't  go  away — come 
back  here  in  an  hour. 

JuxON.  Why  ? 

Sophie.  Mr.  Dethic  is  going  to  run  the  blockade 
to-night.  [Jopp  and  Lord  A.  re-efiter  in  conser- 
vatory.^    We'll  watch  him.     Hush  ! 

JuxoN.  \^To  Lord  A.]  Good-night,  Lord  Asgar- 
by.  Good-night,  Jopp.  \_Crosses  them  to  conserva- 
tory. With  a  smile  of  superiority. '\  My  poor  father 
seems  quite  happy  in  displaying  his  folly  and  igno- 
rance. Did  you  ever  witness  such  a  lamentable 
exhibition  ?     Tchk  !     Tchk  ! 

\^Exit  through  conservatory. 

Lord  A.  \^To  Jopp.]  You  heard  what  Eve  said 
— she's  really  better  !  [  Very  anxiously. 

Jopp.  A  little,  perhaps.  But  you  must  keep  her 
from  these  fits  of  excitement.  They'll  do  no  end  of 
mischief. 

Lord  A.  Good-night,  Miss  Dethic.  You're  sure 
your  own  health  is  not  suffering  ? 

[^Shakes  hands  7vith  her. 
Vashti.  Quite  sure,  my  lord.     Good-night. 

[Exit  Lord  A.  by  terrace,  after  shaking  hands 
with  Sophie. 

Sophie.  Sliall  I  see  you  safely  housed  for  the 
night,  Miss  Dethic  ? 


ACT  II  JUDAH  59 

Vashti.  I  am  ready. 

Sophie.    Come,  then. 

\^Goes  up  steps  and  into  tower. 

Vashti.  Good-night,  Professor  Jopp. 

Jopp.  Good-night. 

Vashti.  ^Triumphantly^  You  see  I  shall  count 
Lady  Eve  amongst  those  whom  I  have  cured. 

Jopp.  You  mean  those  who  have  cured  them- 
selves. 

Vashti.  Cured  themselves? 

Jopp.  If  you  don't  know  the  secret  of  this  mys- 
terious power  of  yours,  I'll  explain  it  to  you.  These 
good  folks  whom  you  cure  are  all  suffering  from 
different  kinds  of  nervous  diseases,  where  only  vo- 
lition is  required  to  make  them  better.  Their  faith 
in  you  gives  the  necessary  shock  to  their  volition, 
and  brings  its  powers  into  exercise.  But  in  all 
cases  of  organic  disease  I  assure  you  you  are  as 
helpless  as — as  any  regular  practitioner  ;  and  that's 
saying  a  good  deal. 

Vashti.  But  there  is  no  proof  that  I  have  not 
cured  them. 

Jopp.  Certainly  there  is  no  proof.  And  that  is 
why  I  think  you  are  behaving  very  foolishly. 

Vashti.  What  do  you  mean  ? 

Jopp.  If  your  patients  insist  on  getting  well, 
neither  I  nor  any  one  else  can  possibly  prove  you 
have  not  cured  them.  But — I  can  and  will  prove 
that  you  can't  live  without  eating. 

Vashti.  [^Goes  up  a  few  steps;  staggers.  He  comes 


6o  JUDAH  ACT  II 

to  her  assistance.  She  repulses  him;  stands  panting.^ 
You'll  prove  that  ?  Very  well.  Prove  it — if  you 
can. 

Jopp.  You  are  foolish.  Think  again.  Trust  me. 
You  shall  find  me  one  of  the  best  friends  you  ever 
had. 

Vashti.  What  do  you  mean  ? 

Jopp.  You've  set  yourself  a  task  beyond  your 
strength.     Give  it  up. 

Vashti.  Ah  !  You  find  I've  beaten  you,  and 
now  you  want  me  to  give  you  the  victory. 

Jopp.  \Quietly,  earnestly,  rather  tenderly.^  I  want 
no  victory,  Miss  Dethic.  Come,  let's  both  give  up. 
What  do  you  say  ? 

Vashti.  [Pause.]   No. 

Jopp.  [Shrt/gs  his  shoulders;  changes  his  tone.]  So 
be  it.     Only  take  care,  because — 

Vashti.  Because? 

Jopp.  The  Home  Secretary  hasn't  let  my  spiritu- 
alist friend  out  of  jail  yet. 

Vashti.  [  Terribly  frightened,  but  trying  to  hide  it 
with  a  pretended  smile.  Frightened,  hoarse  whisper.] 
Would  you  send  me  to  jail  ? 

Jopp.  I  should  be  sorry  :  but  you're  trifling  with 
the  truth;  you're  playing  upon  sacred  feelings  ;  and 
I  warn  you  I  shall  be  merciless  to  you. 

[Vashti   shows  terrible  fright.      Staggers  on 
steps.     Sophie  holds  the  door  open  for  her. 

Sophie.  You're  ill,  Miss  Dethic.  Shall  I  stay 
with  you  ?  [Offers  to  support  her. 


ACT  11  JUDAH    '  6l 

Vashti.  Thank  you.  I'm  quite  well.  Good-night. 
[Goes  into  keep.    Sophie  locks  the  door  after  her. 

Jopp.  \As  Sophie  conies  down-stairsl]  That's  a 
damned  silly  girl,  but  she's  got  pluck. 

Sophie.  There's  a  relief  expedition  intended  to- 
night. 

Jopp.  She's  locked  in.     No  one  can  get  to  her. 

Sophie.  No,  but  still  I  think  we'd  better  watch 
the  father. 

Enter  Roper  by  terrace,  carrying  lantern. 

Roper.  Can  I  lock  up,  sir? 

Jopp.  Yes ;  we're  just  going  off  to  bed.  Roper, 
could  you  leave  the  conservatory  unlocked  for  to- 
night ? 

Roper.  Certainly,  sir.  I  can  lock  the  drawing- 
room  door,  so  that  there's  no  fear  of  anybody  get- 
ting into  the  house. 

Jopp.  Thank  you,  Roper.     Good-night. 

Roper.  Good-night,  sir.  Young  lady  in  the  keep 
room  going  on  quite  comfortable,  I  hope  ? 

Jopp.  Quite,  Roper  ;  so  she  says.     Good-night. 

Roper.  Good-night,  sir. 

\^Exetint  Jopp  a?id  Sophie  along  terrace.  Roper 
turns  out  lamp  in  conservatory  ;  exit ;  shuts 
door,  and  is  heard  to  turn  key  in  lock. 
Front  of  stage  dark.    Moonlight  on  terrace,  and  pari 

of  stage.     After  a  long  pause   Judah   is  seen 

climbing  over  parapet.     Comes  to  the  front  of 

the  keep. 


62  JUDAH  ACT  II 

JUDAH.  \Looking  towards  her  window?^  I  cannot 
leave  you.  You  draw  me  to  you,  loadstar  of  purity 
and  goodness.  Oh,  there  is  something  more  than 
mortal  in  your  beauty  !  And  I  dared  to  speak 
of  love  to  you,  of  earthly  love !  — I,  who  am 
not  worthy  to  breathe  the  same  air,  or  touch  your 
garment  with  my  lips.  Forgive  me  !  Let  me  but 
walk  where  your  feet  have  trodden,  speak  some- 
times with  you,  look  upon  your  heavenly  beauty, 
see  you  do  your  gracious  acts  of  mercy  and  kind- 
ness, and  it  shall  be  enough  for  me.  {^Standing  on 
top  of  steps,  looking  up  at  the  housei\  The  house  is 
quiet;  all  the  lights  are  out;  they  are  asleep.  \^Tur7is 
again  towards  keep.\  Are  you  asleep,  too,  worn  out 
with  fasting  and  watching?  Giving  up  your  life 
that  others  may  live  ?  Oh,  let  me  be  your  sentinel, 
your  watch-dog,  and  keep  guard  that  no  evil  thing 
comes  near  you.  Nay,  no  evil  thing  could  come 
near  you.  Keep  her  !  Give  her  strength  to  defeat 
her  enemies,  and  show  Thy  power  to  them  that 
deny  Thee  !      \Going  into  warder  s  niche,  is  hidden. 

Pause.     Dethic  enters  at  terrace,  looking  cautiously 
roufid. 

Dethic.  That  confounded  moon !  What  the 
plague  does  it  want  to  shine  to-night  for  ? — as  if  it 
couldn't  blaze  away  some  other  night  !  Thank 
goodness,  everybody  sleeps  on  the  other  side  of  the 
house.  They're  all  safely  in  bed  by  this  time. 
What's  this  ?    The  conservatory  door  open  ?  There's 


ACT  II  JUDAH  63 

some  one  in  there.  [^Striking  snatch  and  searching 
conservatory^  No.  It's  been  left  open  by  accident. 
If  I'd  known  that,  I  might  have  got  out  this  way. 
I  must  risk  it  and  give  her  the  key.  [Goes  up  the 
steps;  JuDAH  is  in  the  shade  of  the  keep  watching 
him.  'D^imc  pulls  out  a  key,  opcfis  door  very  quietly 
and  gingerly,  looking  up  at  the  house  to  see  whether  he 
is  watched  all  the  7vhile.  Opens  door.]  Vashti  ! 
Vashti !  [  Taking  something  out  of  his  pocket. 

Vashti.  [//z  doorway  ^^  Have  you  brought  it  ? 
Dethic.  Yes,  my  darling.  Here,  here.  Come 
down  to  the  conservatory.  I  mustn't  leave  the 
house  again.  \_Giving  her  something,  Vashti  eats 
ravenously?^  I've  got  plenty  of  food  for  you,  but  I 
had  to  drop  out  of  the  first-floor  window,  so  I  was 
obliged  to  leave  it  in  my  room. 

Vashti.  Go  and  fetch  it.     I  must  have  it.      I'm 
starving 

Dethic.  \Brings  her  down  steps?\  My  darling, 
that  Miss  Jopp  is  on  the  lookout.  I  mustn't  be 
seen  again.  Here,  take  this  key.  You  see,  I  got  it 
copied.  Tozer  did  it.  I  stole  it  from  Miss  Jopp. 
She  never  missed  it,  and  I  put  it  back  in  her  pocket 
without  her  even  knowing  it.  They've  forgotten  to 
lock  up  the  conservatory.  You  come  in  there  and 
wait.  You  know  that  door  that  leads  into  the 
drawing-room.  I'll  bring  it  to  you  there. 
Vashti.  But  that  door  is  locked  and  bolted. 
Dethic.  The  key's  left  in  it  on  the  other  side 


64  JUDAH  ACT  II 

I  took  stock  of  tliat.  You  wait  down  there,  and 
I'll  give  it  to  you  in  ten  minutes  from  now. 

Vashti.  Bring  it  me,  bring  it  me  !  Quick  !  I 
don't  want  to  be  found  down  here. 

Dethic.  All  right,  my  love.  Wait  there  in  the 
conservatory.     I  won't  keep  you  long. 

Vashti.  Make  haste  !  [Dethic  goes  off  at  ter- 
race. Vashti  watches  Dethic  going  off.  Judah 
rises  in  the  warder's  seat  and  comes  down  steps.  She 
hears  his  footsteps,  turns  roimd,  and  sees  hi?n  on  steps.'\ 
You  !     [Deadly  quiet  whisper.']     You  heard  ? 

Judah.   [  Very  calm.']  Every  word. 

Vashti.  You  know  what  I  am. 

Judah.  [Still  very  calm.']  Don't  I  tell  you  I  heard 
all? 

Vashti.  [Pattse.']  What  do  you  think  of  me  ? 
[He  does  not  reply.  In  more  agitated  tone.]  What 
do  you  think  of  me  ?  [Still  no  reply.  Again,  more 
excited.]  Tell  me;  I  must  know.  What  do  you 
think  of  me  ?  [Goes  up  to  him. 

Judah.  I  cannot  think.  Good  is  evil,  day  is 
night.  Are  you  angel  or  devil — or  both  ?  What 
are  you  ?  The  brightest  saint  of  all  hell,  the  black- 
est fiend  of  all  heaven  ?  What  are  you  ?  Oh,  if  I 
had  died  before  I  knew  ! 

Vashti.  [Imploringly.]  Do  not  speak  like  that. 
I  told  you  I  was  not  a  saint,  but  only  a  woman — a 
vain,  foolish,  ambitious  girl;  but  not — not  willingly 
wicked,  only  weak.     Oh  !     [Imploringly.]     Do  not 


ACT  II  JUDAH  65 

think   badly   of   me.     I  cannot  bear  it,    I  cannot 
bear  it  !  \^Kneels  and  clings  to  him. 

JUDAH.  \_Ptishing  her  away?^  You'd  cast  your 
snares  round  me  again.  You  would  make  me  be- 
lieve in  you  now — now — after  what  I  have  heard. 
And — God  forgive  me — if  I  listen  to  you  I  shall  be 
ready  to  sell  my  eternal  peace,  my  very  soul,  at 
your   bidding.     Let   me   go,   woman — let    me    go  ! 

\_Throwing    her   from    him,    Yashti,    on   her 
knees,  clings  to  him,  holds  him. 

Vashti.  [Very  imploringly i\  No,  no;  hear  me 
first — you  must  hear  me — you  shall  hear  me,  and 
then  kill  me  if  you  like — for  I  cannot  live  if  you 
hate  me  !  Hear  me — oh  !  it  is  the  very  last  thing 
I  shall  ever  beg  of  you. 

JUDAH.  [^Tears  himself  atvay  from  her. ^  Woman! 
I  know  you. 

Vashti.  No — you  do  not  know  me  ;  and  you 
will  not  hear  me.  [^Bursts  into  tears.  He  is  going, 
but  is  stopped  by  her  appealing  attitude.  Kneeling^ 
You  don't  know  what  my  childhood  and  girlhood 
were  like — how  often  we  were  pressed  for  money. 
Sometimes  we  had  scarcely  bread  enough  to  eat. 
We  went  to  Spain.  I  found  I  was  able  to  cure 
many  of  the  foolish  country  people  if  they  only 
believed  in  me,  and  my  father  persuaded  me  if  I 
could  only  show  them  that  I  could  live  without 
food  it  would  be  a  sign  of  my  possessing  super- 
natural power.     I  began,  and  it  was  as  he  said.     I 


66  JUDAH  ACT  II 

found  everybody  believed  in  me.  When  I  had 
once  begun,  I  was  obliged  to  go  on.  We  came 
back  to  England  and  then  I  met  you  ;  and  at  first 
I  was  pleased  to  see  what  power  I  had  over  you. 
But  when  I  saw  that  you  believed  in  me  and  loved 
me,  I  gradually  felt  how  wicked  I'd  been.  I  tried 
again  and  again  to  give  it  up;  I  tried  to  tell  you.  I 
wanted  you  to  know  the  truth  about  me,  and  yet  I 
could  not  bear  you  to  think  that  I  was  not  worthy 
of  your  love.  You  know  it  now.  Oh  !  tell  me  you 
forgive  me.  \^Seizitig  his  hand.  Imploringly?^  Oh, 
say  you  forgive  me.  [  Very  emphatic. 

JuDAH.  \^Has  regained  cabnness.\  I  forgive  you. 
Let  me  go.         \_Going  up  stage,  she  retains  his  hand. 

Vashti.  Good-bye. 

\^She  takes  his  hand  to  her  lips,  and  kisses  it. 

JUDAH.  l^Fired  tvith  her  kiss^  What  have  you 
done  ?  \Looks  at  her  in  the  moonlight?[  Oh,  you 
are  more  beautiful  than  ever  to-night.  \^Looking  at 
her  passionately.^  This  is  all  a  dream.  I  blot  the 
past  hour  from  my  memory.  You're  mad  to  say 
that  you  could  cheat  and  deceive.  I  will  not  be- 
lieve you.  [  Takes  both  her  hands  ifi  his.^  You  are 
very  truth.     How  dare  you  slander  yourself  ? 

Vashti.  Ah  !  No  !  \^Drawing  away  from  him; 
withdraws  her  hand?\  Know  me  for  what  I  am — 
a  cheat,  an  impostor,  a  liar. 

Judah.  Hush  !  hush  !     You  shall  not  say  so. 

Vashti.  Oh  !  why  should  you  deceive  yourself  ? 


ACT  11  JUDAH  67 

You  know  the  truth  of  nie  at  last,  and  I  am  glad — 
yes,  I  am  glad  !  Think  what  I  am — vain,  weak, 
false  ! 

JuDAH.  Why,  yes,  perhaps  you  are,  and  therefore 
so  much  nearer  me.  [/Raises  her  and  clasps  her  in 
his  arms.]  I  thought  you  out  of  my  reach,  up  there 
amongst  the  stars;  and  you're  of  this  earth,  like 
myself,  a  woman  made  for  me  !  Ah,  yes  !  I'm 
glad  you  are  what  you  are,  for  I  can  make  you 
mine  now. 

Vashti.  [Breaking  atvay  from  him.]  No,  no,  for 
your  own  sake  you  must  give  me  up  ;  have  no 
more  to  do  with  me.     Disown  me  ;  forget  me  ! 

JUDAH.  Forget  you  ! 

Vashti.  You  must.  All  your  future  is  at  stake. 
Forget  me  !  It  is  the  best  for  both  ;  but — you 
won't  betray  me  ? 

JuDAH.  Betray  you  ?  I  love  you.  [Embracing 
her.]  Oh,  don't  you  see  you  are  nearer  to  me  for 
this  night  ;  we  are  bound  to  each  other.  I  love 
you  !     I  love  you  !     My  wife  ! 

Vashti.  [Recoiling  from  him,  recovers  herself 
with  immense  effort.  Speaks  calmly.]  I  cannot  be 
your  wife — I — 

JuDAH.  You  do  not  love  me  ? 

Vashti.  I  cannot  be  your  wife.  [N'oise  of  foot- 
steps heard  outside  on  terrace.]  Ah,  hush  I  Who's 
that? 

[Judah  is  about  to  send  her  up  steps,  but  thinking 


68  JUDAH  ACT  11 

they  will  be  seen,  takes  her  i?ito  the  conserv- 
atory. They  hide  behind  palms.  Sophie 
and  Jopp  co)ne  along  terrace,  listening  at 
back. 

Sophie.  I  certainly  heard  voices. 

Jopp.  I  thought  so.  \Crosses  to  archway;  looks  off. 

Sophie.  Everything  is  quiet.  Let's  wait  here. 
It's  the  best  place  to  watch  the  keep. 

Jopp.  [  Yawning7\  Deuce  take  the  girl  !  To 
think  I  should  be  fool  enough  to  let  her  rob  me  of 
my  beauty-sleep  to  prove  to  the  British  public  that 
she's  a  swindler. 

Sophie.  There  will  be  some  satisfaction  in  thor- 
oughly exposing  her,  and  seeing  her  safely  locked 
up. 

Jopp.  It's  the  British  public  that  ought  to  be 
locked  up  till  it  learns  wisdom. 

Sophie.  It  would  be  locked  up  for  ever,  then. 

Jopp.  I  dare  say.  Still  I  must  own  that  in  the 
great  epic  war  between  rogues  and  fools  all  my 
sympathies  go  with  the  rogues. 

Sophie.  So  do  mine  ;  but  that's  no  reason  why 
we  should  not  hang  both  rogues  and  fools. 

Jopp.  Oh,  I  mean  to  punish  my  lady.  She 
should  have  accepted  my  terms  an  hour  ago;  now 
it's  too  late. 

\^A  noise  of  very  gently  withdrawing  locks  and 
bolts  is  heard  at  the  drawing-room  door, 

Sophie.  \Rises,  seizes  Jopp's  hand ;  Jopp  rises  to 


ACT  II  JUDAH  69 

meet  /ler.]  Hush  !     What  did  I  tell  you  ?    Some  one 
is  at  the  drawing-room  door. 

Jopp.  Mr.  Dethic.  We'll  let  him  get  well  at  his 
work  before  we  disturb  him.    The  archway — quick  ! 

[Sophie  goes  off  at  a?'c/nuay.  Jopp  folloivs,  and 
closes  door  after  them,  Dethic  cautiously 
opens  door  in  conservatory  and  is  coming  on. 

JUDAH.  \^In  conservatory,  in  a  whisper. '\  Keep 
back  !  If  you  are  seen,  you'll  ruin  her.  \Hurries 
Dethic  off.  To  Vashti.]  Quick,  up  the  steps  ! 
Lock  yourself  in  ;  leave  the  rest  to  me. 

[Vashti  takes  the  key  that  Dethic  lias  given 
her  out  of  her  pocket.,  rushes  up  steps  with 
it,  goes  in.,  closes  keep  door  after  her.,  locks 
herself  in.  Judah  goes  up  the  steps  j  takes 
his  place  in  the  warder  s  ?iiche  and  is  hidden. 

Jopp  and  Sophie  re-enter  from  archway  door   on 
terrace  and  come  out. 

Jopp.  He's  gone  up  ! 

Sophie.  Yes,  I  heard  his  steps. 

Jopp.  Give  me  the  key.  You  go  along  the  ter- 
race and  give  the  alarm.  \^Exit  Sophie  along  the 
terrace^     He's  got  another  key,  then. 

[Jopp  ^^^J  up  steps  ;  opens  keep  door.  Fire-bell 
is  heard  to  ring  violently.  General  alarm 
of  the  house.  Lord  A.  enters  along  terrace. 
Comes  to  foot  of  steps.      Sophie  re-enters 


70  JUDAH  ACT  II 

from  terrace  after  the  ringing  of  the  fire- 
bell  is  done. 

Lord  A.  What  is  it,  Jopp  ? 

JoPP.  \_At  top  of  steps. ^  Mr.  Dethic  is  now  in  the 
keep,  taking  food  to  his  daughter. 

Re-enter  Sophie  with  Lady  Y,\'e.,  followed  by  Juxon, 
Roper  with  lantern,  and  two  Servants  in  livery. 

Lord  A.  Where  is  the  key  ? 

Jopp.  I  have  it.  \Opens  the  keep  door  and  calls. 
Mr.  Dethic,  Mr.  Dethic  ! 

Vashti.   \Comes  to  door^  What  is  the  matter  ? 

Lord  A.  Your  father  is  in  there — ask  him  to 
come  out. 

Vashti.  My  father  is  not  here, 

Jopp.  You  are  alone  ? 

Vashti.  I  am  alone.  Search  the  place  if  you 
please. 

[Jopp  goes  in.  Judah  comes  doion  from  the 
7varders  seat  on  to  the  terrace.  Vashti 
follows  him. 

Lord  A.  Mr,  Llewellyn  !  What  are  you  doing 
here? 

Judah.  I've  watched  here  every  night  of  Miss 
Dethic's  stay. 

Lord  A.  You've  watched  here  ?  How  long  have 
you  been  here  to-night  ? 

Judah.  Ever  since  the  house  went  to  rest. 

\Co)nes  down  steps. 


ACT  II  JUDAH  71 

Lord  A.  You  have  brought  Miss  Dethic  food. 

JUDAH.    No. 

[JoPP  returns  fro7n  keep-room  crestfallen. 

Jopp.  I  am  mistaken  ;  I  own  it.  But  I  heard 
voices,  I'm  sure.  Who  was  it  ?  Who  was  speaking 
here  a  few  moments  ago  ?  Mr.  Llewellyn  !  \Chal- 
lenges  Judah.]     You  know  something  of  this,  sir. 

JUDAH.  I  know  nothing.  [^Fause.  Jopp  looks 
at  /mn.^     Don't  you  believe  me  ? 

Jopp.  {^Looking  at  hifn.^  I  don't  know.  Give 
me  your  oath — you  have  not  brought  Miss  Dethic 
any  food.  [Vashti  looks  at  Judah. 

Judah.  My  oath — I  have  not  brought  Miss 
Dethic  any  food. 

Jopp.  Your  oath — you  have  not  seen  her  take 
any.  [Vashti  looks  at  hiin. 

Judah.  \^After  a  pause.\  My  oath — I  have  not 
seen  her  take  any.  [Vashti  shows  relief. 

Jopp.  Your  oath — she  has  not  been  outside  that 
door,  to  your  knowledge.  \_Longer  pause. 

Judah.  My  oath — she  has  not  been  outside  that 
door  to  my  knowledge. 

Jopp.  \^Looks  at  /lim.']  Enough  !  I  take  your 
word.     I  was  mistaken. 

CURTAIN. 

A  year  passes  between  Acts  II.  and  III. 


72  JUDAH  ACT  III 


ACT  III 

Scene.     Same  as  in  Act  I. 

Discover  Lady  Eve  seated  in  arnu/iair,  and  Lord 
AsGARBY  standing  by  Lady  Eve. 

Lady  E.  Then  everything's  settled. 

Lord  A.  Everything.  Granger  brings  the  deed 
to-day,  and  Mr.  Llewellyn  and  Papworthy  are  to 
meet  me  and  read  it  over. 

Lady  E.  And  on  the  foundation-stone  it  is  to 
be  carved  that  the  building  is  in  memory  of  my 
getting  well  again. 

Lord  A.  Yes. 

Lady  E.  And  nothing  is  to  be  said  about  Vashti 
having  cured  me  ? 

Lord  A.  No,  my  dear  ;  it  is  better  to  leave  such 
questions  alone. 

Lady  E.  ^Pettishly.^  But  it  is  she  who  has  cured 
me.  If  she  had  not  come  to  Asgarby  when  she 
did,  the  wind  would  have  blown  me  away  before 
this. 

Lord  A.  Eve,  my  darling,  don't  speak  like  this  ! 

Lady  E.  Why  not  ?  Leaves  must  fall,  even  rose- 
leaves  ;  and  then  they  mustn't  litter  the  garden — 
they  must  be  swept  away  to  make  room  for  the  live 
flowers.  [Goes  to  window  and  exit. 


ACT  III  JUDAH  73 

Lord  A.  She  is  better  ;  she  is  stronger  than  she 
has  ever  been.  What  does  it  matter  what  the 
cause  is  ?  [Lady  Eve  comes  swiftly  in  again. 

Lady  E.  Here's  that  dreadful  Mr.  Dethic.  He's 
always  hinting  to  me  about  money.  I'm  sure 
Vashti  won't  like  him  to  live  with  her  and  Mr. 
Llewellyn.  Can't  you  pension  him  to  live  away 
from  them  ? 

Lord  A.  Yes,  dear,  if  you  wish  it. 

Dethic  enters  at  window,  rather  better  dressed, 
affable,  familiar,  jaunty. 

Dethic.  Ha  !  Do  you  know,  my  lord,  the  more 
I  see  of  this  noble  historical  pile,  the  more  I'm 
intoxicated  with  it  ! 

Lord  A.  \Coolly?[  Indeed,  Air.  Dethic. 

Dethic.  Language  entirely  fails  to  convey  the 
depth  of  my  attachment  to  this  venerable  place  and 
its  venerable  owner. 

Lord  A.  We  will  spare  you  the  expression  of 
your  feelings,  Mr.  Dethic.  Lady  Eve  and  I  have 
been  speaking  of  your  daughter's  approaching  mar- 
riage to  Mr.  Llewellyn.  [Dethic  shows  great  in- 
terest^    You  will  not,  I  suppose,  live  with  them  ?  " 

Dethic.  Well,  my  lord,  nothing  has  been  men- 
tioned about  my  future,  but  I  see  no  reason  why 
I  should  not  be  perfectly  happy  and  comfortable 
with  my  dear  children. 

Lord  A.  That  arrangement  Avill  suit  them  ? 

Dethic.  I  should  say  so.     I  always  make  myself 


74  JUDAH  ACT  in 

agreeable  in  all  circles  of  society,  and  if  nobody 
expresses  a  violent  dislike  to  my  company,  I  take 
it  for  granted  I'm  welcome,  and — if  I  may  use  a 
playful  term — chum  on  ! 

Lord  A.  Miss  Dethic  refuses  to  accept  my  offer 
of  a  provision  for  herself. 

Dethic.  It's  ungrateful  of  her.  I've  argued  it 
with  her  scores  of  times.  I  know  your  lordship 
will  never  suspect  us  of  mercenary  motives;  but 
still,  if  any  trifling  way  of  showing  your  gratitude 
should  suggest  itself —  [Vashti  enters.  Lady 
'Eve  Joins  her.  Vashti  kisses  her.  Seeing  Vashti, 
Dethic  drops  his  voice.'\  I  think,  my  lord,  I  could 
better  express  my  paternal  care  for  Vashti's  future 
if  we  were  out  of  her  hearing. 

Lord  A.  Doubtless.  Come  this  way,  Mr. 
Dethic.  I  have  a  proposal  to  make  to  you  on  the 
subject. 

Dethic.  \yery  gratefiiUy?\^  Thank  you,  my  lord, 
thank  you. 

[Lord  A.  and  Dethic  exeunt  at  window. 
Vashti  seats  herself.  Lady  Eve  kneels  by 
her  side. 

Lady  E.  You  grow  sadder  and  sadder  the  nearer 
you  get  to  your  wedding-day.     How  is  it  ? 
Vashti.  No,  no  ! 

Lady  E.  Yes,  you  do.     You  love  Mr.  Llewellyn  ? 
Vashti.  Love  him  ! 
Lady  E.  And   he   loves    you.     I   wish   I   had  a 


ACT  III  JUDAH  75 

lover.  Oh,  if  somebody  would  but  once — only 
once  look  at  me  as  Mr.  Llewellyn  looks  at  you  ! 

Vashti.  \^RadiafiL'\    He  does  love  me  ! 

Lady  E.  Yes,  but  he  has  changed. 

Vashti.  {^Alartned.^  Changed  !  No,  no  !  He 
cannot  change. 

Lady  E.  Yes,  he  doesn't  love  you  now  as  he  did 
a  year  ago. 

Vashti.  Oh,  don't  say  that  !  don't  say  that ! 
What  do  you  mean  ? 

Lady  E.  He  used  to  look  at  you  as  if  he  wanted 
to  worship  you  ;  now  he  looks  at  you  as  if  he 
wanted  to  protect  you. 

Vashti.  [^Reassured — a  great  sigh  of  relief ;  in  a 
low,  pleased  voice. '\  I  want  him  to  protect  me. 

£nter  Judah  at  ivindow,  very  pale,  thinner,  older. 

JUDAH.  Lord  Asgarby  told  me  I  should  find  you 
here. 

[Lady  Eve  rwis  to  him,  takes  his  hand,  looks  at 
him  critically  for  a  few  seconds. 

Lady  E.  You  too!  \_Looks  from  one  to  the  other. ^ 
What  makes  you  both  so  sad  ?  My  father  has 
promised  me  everything  I  asked  him  for  you.  It 
is  to  be  the  most  magnificent  building  in  Beach- 
ampton,  and  it  is  to  be  endowed  while  you  are  its 
minister,  so  that  you  will  be  perfectly  happy,  both 
of  you,  for  all  your  lives. 

Judah.  I  have  done  nothing  to  deserve  this. 
Lady  Eve.     I  cannot  take  it. 


76  JUDAH  ACT  in 

Lord  A.  enters  at  ivindozu. 

Lady  E.  Yes,  you  must  !  Mr.  Llewellyn  says  he 
will  not  take  your  gift.     Tell  him  he  must. 

Lord  A.  Indeed  you  must,  Mr.  Llewellyn.  I 
promised  if  my  child's  life  were  spared  that  what- 
ever Miss  Dethic  should  ask,  I  would  give  her. 

JuDAH.  But  it  is  too  much  ;  besides,  I  have  done 
nothing. 

Lord  A.  You  are  doing  immense  good  ;  your 
example  is  even  better  than  your  words.  [Judah 
winces^  We  need  such  men  as  you — truthful,  up- 
right, honest,  open  as  the  day.  I  do  not  ask  what 
your  creed  is  :  your  actions  are  enough  for  me — 

[Judah  shows  compunction. 

Lord  A.  {^Going  jip  to  Lady  Eve.]  What  are 
you  doing,  Eve  ? 

Lady  Eve.  \_Blowing  muay  the  thist/edoivn.^  See- 
ing how  long  I  shall  live. 

Lord  A.   How  can  you  tell  ? 

Lady  E.  Don't  you  see  ?  I  have  blown  six 
times,  and  all  the  seeds  have  flown  from  the  stalk. 
I  shall  live  just  six  years  longer. 

Lord  A.  \Clasping  her  very  tenderly^  Eve  ! 

\^ExcH)it  Lord  A.  and  Lady  Eve  by  window. 
Judah  and  Vashti  watch  them  off,  then 
instinctively  go  to  each  other. 

Vashti.  You  are  ill?  \Takes  his  hands. 

Judah.  It  is  nothing.     You  ? 

Vashti.  I'm    well    enough;    but    you — you    are 


ACT  III  JUDAH  77 

working  too  hard.  Every  one  says  you  must  break 
down.  \^Fause.  Frightened  ivhisper?\  What  ailed 
you  yesterday  morning  ? 

JuDAH.   In  the  service  ? 

Vashti.  Yes. 

JuDAH.  Nothing.  Why  ?  I  spoke  as  usual,  did 
I  not  ? 

Vashti.  Yes;  but  much  more  powerfully.  This 
last  year — ever  since — \^Pause^ — ever  since  that 
dreadful  night  here,  your  tongue  seems  to  be  on 
fire;  you  speak  as  you  never  spoke  before. 

JuDAH.  Do  I  ?  I  ought  to  be  able  to  proclaim 
the  truth,  for  I  know  what  lying  is. 

Vashti.  Hush,  hush  !  don't  speak  like  that  ! 
Tell  me — what  was  it  yesterday  morning  ? 

Judah.  You  noticed,  then  ? 

A^ASHTi.  Only  that  you  were  much  disturbed,  and 
once  I  thought  you  would  have  broken  down. 
What  was  it  ? 

Judah.  The  same  as  it  has  been  all  the  year  ; 
only  it  was  worse  than  ever  yesterday.  Every  sen- 
tence I  spoke  I  heard  shouted  in  my  ear,  "  Lies, 
lies  ;  come  down,  liar  !  Come  down  !  Lies  ! 
Lies!  Lies!"  It  spoke  so  plainly  I  thought  all 
the  congregation  must  have  heard  it;  and  after- 
wards, as  I  poured  out  the  wine,  it  laughed  in  the 
cup  and  said,  "  Go  on,  go  on  !  Poison  them,  poison 
them  with  your  lies  !     Poison  them  !  " 

Vashti.  \Cluiging  to  him — in  a  frightened  whis- 


78  JUDAH  ACT  in 

j)er.'\  Hush  !  hush  !  You  must  not  speak  like  this. 
Indeed  there  was  nothing. 

JUDAH.  I  know  there  was  nothing,  but  I  heard  it. 
I've  heard  it  all  night  long.  It's  been  with  me  on 
my  walk  here  this  morning — on  the  other  side  of 
the  hedge  as  I  came  along.  It  kept  mocking  at  me  ! 
Hark  !  It's  here  now.  In  this  room.  Don't  you 
hear  it  ? 

Vashti.  No  ;  there  is  not  a  sound. 

JuDAH.  Yes.  Hark  ;  there  !  Listen  !  You  hear 
what  it  says.  Liar !  Hypocrite !  Liar !  Hypo- 
crite ! 

\^St retches    out  his   hands  in   mute  appeal;  then 
falls  on  settee,  shivering  with  horror. 

Vashti.  \_Goes  to  him.]  Oh,  my  dear  one,  my  best 
loved  !     Indeed,  indeed,  all  is  still  as  the  grave  ! 

Judah.  [i?«<?i-.]  If  it  were  so  !  If  I  could  stop 
my  ears  forever !  Silence  !  Silence  !  Eternal 
silence  !     [Pause,]    We'll  leave  this  place  ! 

Vashti.  Yes,  yes;  where  shall  we  go? 

Judah.  Anywhere  !  anywhere  !  I  can't  stay 
here  !  Why  can't  they  give  up  building  this  church 
for  me  ? 

Vashti.  Lady  Eve  has  set  her  heart  upon  it. 
The  architect  and  the  lawyer  and  everybody  are 
coming  this  afternoon.  It  is  to  be  the  most  beauti- 
ful building  in  the  city. 

Judah.  It  won't  stand.  If  they  lay  the  founda- 
tions as  deep  as  the  roots  of  the  hills,  and  build  the 


ACT  III  JUDAH  79 

walls  twenty  feet  thick,  it  can't  stand.     It's  built  on 
lies. 

Vashti.  Oh,  don't  speak  like  this  !  You  tear  my 
heart  to  pieces. 

[J^u/'sts  into  tears  ;  falls  on  her  knees — head  on 
his  knees. 

JUDAH.  \_Very  tenderly  takes  her  to  him.'\  Forgive 
me,  dear  !  You,  too,  look  weary.  I  ought  not  to 
have  told  you. 

Vashti.  Yes,  yes,  let  me  share  all  your  griefs,  all 
your  burdens,  as  you  have  shared  mine.  Oh  !  I 
cannot  bear  to  think  what  I  have  done.  If  I  should 
be  discovered  !  if  I  should  bring  disgrace  upon  you 


now 


Judah.  Very  well,  let  it  be  so  ;  I  can  bear  it. 

Vashti.  No  !  No  !  Every  one  believes  in  you, 
and  I  am  so  proud  of  you  ;  I  could  not  bear  to 
have  your  name  dragged  in  the  mire  with  mine. 
Give  me  up  even  now,  send  me  away  from  you  ; 
let  me  go. 

Judah.  Not  for  every  blessing  in  this  world  will 
I  part  from  you  !  \_Takes  her  in  his  anns.^  Heap 
them  all  up — fame,  riches,  health,  peace  of  mind, 
length  of  days,  honour,  friendship,  every  joy  of  body, 
mind,  and  soul  that  the  heart  of  man  can  desire — 
put  them  in  one  scale  and  your  love  in  the  other. 
I  will  not  have  them — I  don't  want  them.  I  want 
your  love — I  will  not  barter  you  away  for  all  the 
world  contains.  {^Clasping  her  very  tenderly. 


Bo  JUDAH  ACT  in 

Vashti.  Oh  !  but  think  what  I  am. 

JUDAH.  You  are  yourself  !  You  are  myself  ! 
Whatever  you  are  I  will  make  myself  that  I  may  be 
like  you.  I  will  deserve  you,  be  sure  !  I  will  be 
your  mate.  If  you  are  evil,  I  will  be  evil  too,  so 
that  at  the  last  I  may  taste  every  drop  of  suffering 
that  you  taste,  feel  every  pang,  and  keep  your  soul 
side  by  side  with  mine  forever  !  [jPause. 

Vashti.  If  you  knew  how  I  have  tried  to  be 
good  since  I  have  known  you  !  Every  moment  of 
my  life  I  try  to  be  just  that  woman  you  thought  me 
before  you  knew  me  for  what  I  am.  I  have  re- 
pented— oh,  most  bitterly  !  You  too — you  have 
repented  ? 

JUDAH.  No,  I  cannot.  The  oath  I  took  that 
night  has  burnt  into  me.  Every  fibre  of  me  is  a 
lie  !  [Vashti  fears  herself  aivay  from  him  with  a 
cry ;  bursts  into  tears,  Judah  7-ises^  goes  to  her.^ 
What  is  it  ?     What  now  ? 

Vashti.  Oh,  I  have  ruined  you  forever.  You 
were  the  best,  the  most  honourable  man  on  earth. 
You  were  truth  itself,  and  I  have  dragged  you  down 
to  me.      How  can  you  love  me  ? 

Judah.  \Vety  tenderly^  How  can  I  not  love 
you  ?  [Vashti  bursts  into  tears,,  turns  and  buries 
her  head  in  his  arms.  He  folds  her  most  tenderly  to 
him  J  she  is  sobbing  in  his  arnis.^  Hush  !  hush  ! 
Hold  fast  to  me  !  We're  shipwrecked  together. 
If  we  find  land,  we'll  find  it  together.  If  we  perish, 
we'll  perish  together  !     Either  way  you  are  mine  ! 


ACT  III  JUDAH  8l 

There's  nothing  else  much  matters  !  Don't  blame 
yourself.  All  is  as  it  should  be.  You're  mine  ; 
there's  nothing  I  would  change.   [Kisses  Iter.  Pause. 

Enter  Jopp,  sJwuni  in  by  Roper. 
Roper.   I'll  tell  his  lordship  you're  here,  sir. 

[Exit  by  window. 
[JUDAH  a7id  Vashti   slunu   surprise  and  some 
degree  of  alarm. 

Jopp.  Good-morning,  j\Ir.  Llewellyn.  [He  ad- 
vances to  JuDAH,  holds  out  /lis  hand ;  Judah  will  not 
take  //.]  No  ?  I'm  your  friend.  You  don't  believe 
me?  [Looking  at  \ K'=,-i\-Y\i\  I  told  Miss  Dethic  I 
was  her  friend  once;  she  wouldn't  believe  me;  and 
yet  she'd  have  been  wise  to  make  me  her  friend. 

Vashti.   Aren't  you  my  friend  now  ? 

Jopp.  [Pause.  Looks  at  her;  then  a  direct — ]  No, 
I'm  not. 

Vashti.  [Alar7ncd.'\  Why  have  you  come  to  As- 
garby  ? 

Jopp.  I  always  spend  a  few  weeks  with  Lord 
Asgarby  at  this  time  of  the  year. 

Vashti.  But  you  were  not  expected. 

Jopp.  No;  the  fact  is  I  have  a  little  business  with 
Lord  Asgarby  and — [Looking  at  Judah] — and  with 
Mr.  Llewellyn  too.  May  I  be  so  ungallant  as  to 
ask  you  to  leave  us  ? 

Judah.  You  can  speak  to  me  before  Miss  Dethic. 
[Takes  her  hand.\  I  have  no  business  with  any  one 
that  she  has  not  a  risht  to  hear. 


82  JUDAH  ACT   III 

Jopp.  I  must  speak  to  you  alone. 
JuDAH.  I  will  not  hear.  \_Turns  away  to  zcnndoiu.'] 
Vashti.  [Intercepting  Judah.]  Yes,  yes;  please, 
please,  hear  what  he  has  to  say  ;  I'll  go.  [S/iowing 
great  alarm;  goes  to  window;  stops;  comes  down  to 
Jopp  very  anxiously^  This  business  that  has 
brought  you  to  Asgarby  so  suddenly — is  it  about 
me  ? 

Jopp.  [Pause.  Looks  at  her. ~\  Yes.  \^ x'iYi'xi  makes 
a  gesture  of  alarm  ;  Judah  reassures  her,  and  then 
goes  with  her  to  window.  Exit  Vashti.  Pause. 
Judah  comes  down  to  Jopp.  To  Judah,  holding  out 
his  hand.^  Come  ;  give  me  your  hand.  I  tell  you 
I'm  your  friend. 

Judah.  [Will  not  take  it.']  When  I've  heard  what 
you  have  to  say. 

Jopp.  Very  well  ;  very  well.  You're  going  to 
marry  that  young  lady  ? 

Judah.   Next  Thursday. 

Jopp.  [Looks  kifidly  at  Judah  again.]  AVhen  I 
was  in  practice,  I  had  to  cauterize  a  young  labourer 
who  had  been  bitten  by  a  mad  dog — a  fine,  sturdy 
young  fellow  with  a  very  limited  vocabulary.  He 
swore  at  me  fearfully  at  the  time,  but  he  thanked 
me  afterwards. 

Judah.  Well? 

Jopp.   I'm  going  to  cauterize  you. 

Judah.  Go  on. 

Jopp.  [Puts  his  hand  affectionately  on  Judah's 
shoulder.']   My  lad,  I  haven't  seen  you  for  a  year. 


ACT  III  JUDAH  83 

But  I  wouldn't  say  I'm  not  just  a  little  fond  of  you. 
I  know  the  value  of  such  men  as  you.  It  is  the 
man  who  believes  in  something,  believes  in  himself, 
believes  in  his  fellow  men,  in  the  woman  he  loves, 
in  the  faith  his  fathers  have  taught  him — that's  the 
man  that's  good  for  something  in  this  world. 
[Dryly. '\  I  don't  believe  in  anything  myself,  so 
I'm  good  for  nothing.  [Judah  ?noves  uneasily  away 
from  ln?n.']  Don't  move  away  from  me.  I'm 
determined  to  be  your  friend. 

Judah.  Say  what  you  have  to  say. 

Jopp.  You  believe  in  this  Miss  Dethic.  I  knew 
you  were  mistaken  a  year  ago.  I  tried  all  I  could 
to  open  your  eyes  then,  but  she  was  too  many  for 
us.  I  knew  very  well  all  the  while  she  was  deceiv- 
ing Lord  Asgarby,  deceiving  Lady  Eve,  deceiving 
you. 

Judah.  She  was  not  deceiving  me. 

Jopp.  My  dear  sir,  you  were  blind — although 
you  know,  that  night  here,  for  a  moment  I  was  dis- 
posed to  think  that  you  might  be  aiding  her  in  her 
lies. 

Judah.  You  thought  that  ? 

Jopp.  Forgive  me  ;  it  was  only  for  a  moment. 
I  don't  mind  telling  you  that,  if  she  was  foolish 
enough  to  play  her  tricks  again,  I  would  let  you  be 
her  keeper,  and  I  would  believe  your  word  as  easily 
as  I  would  disbelieve  her  oath. 

Judah.  Indeed  !     Yet  she  is  as  truthful  as  I  am. 

Jopp.  Tut,  tut  !     You've  got  a  fine  career  before 


84  JUDAH  ACT  HI 

you  ;  I  don't  want  to  see  you  throw  it  away.  This 
woman  is  an  impostor.  I  can  prove  it  ;  all  the 
country  shall  ring  with  it,  and  in  a  week  to-day,  if 
she  is  in  England  at  all,  she  shall  be  in  prison. 

JuDAH.  You'll  prove  her  an  impostor  ?     How? 

Jopp.   There  is  but  one  key  to  those  tower  rooms. 

JuDAH.  Which  was  in  your  daughter's  keeping. 

Jopp.  Mr.  Dethic  had  another  key  made.  I've 
got  the  locksmith  who  made  it  for  him.  He's 
waiting  for  me  at  the  Asgarby  Arms  now.  I  have 
had  detectives  at  work  for  months.  I've  fished  out 
all  the  past  history  of  these  Dethics,  and  they  can- 
not escape  me.  As  soon  as  I  have  seen  Lord 
Asgarby  I  bring  my  man  up  from  the  village  and 
prove  it. 

JUDAH.  [^Pause.  Looking  at  Jopp  for  some 
seconds,  then  calmly^   Bring  him. 

Jopp.  You  will  marry  Miss  Dethic  next  Thurs- 
day. 

JuDAH.  Yes. 

Jopp.  Are  you  mad  ?  Her  character  is  lost  ! 
The  man  who  marries  her  will  be  utterly  ruined  for 
life. 

JUDAH.  I  am  that  man  !  Prove  your  worst 
against  her.  Write  "  Liar  "  on  her  forehead,  make 
her  name  a  byword  all  over  England,  hunt  her  to 
shame,  to  prison,  to  another  country,  I'm  her  part- 
ner !  I  love  her  !  There's  no  locksmith  living  can 
put  bars   between  her  and  me,  and  the  sword  was 


ACT  III  JUDAH  85 

never  forged  that  can  divide  us  in  twain.      Do  your 
worst  !     To-morrow  she  shall  be  my  wife. 

\^Exit  after  Vashti  by  -dniidoiv. 
Jopp.   [^Looking  after  him.']  That's  a  splendid — 
fool  !     {^Pause.]     Well,  never  again  while  this  world 
wags  will  I  permit  myself  the  luxury  of  any  inter- 
ference with  its  love  affairs. 

JuxON  enters  at  window^  followed  by  Sophie. 
Sophie  crosses  beliind  and  sits  in  armchair. 

JuxoN.   Good-morning,  Jopp.     How  d'ye  do  ? 

[Holds  out  his  hand  very  limply  and  feebly. 

Jopp.  \_Shaking  hands.]  Good-morning,  Mr.  Prall. 
How  are  you  ? 

JuxON.  I  regret  I  am  in  a  very  low  condition  of 
health.  [^Crosses  to  armchair  and  sits. 

Jopp.  How's  that  ? 

JuxoN.  I  do  not  choose  to  expose  the  infirmity 
of  those  who  by  some  curious  stroke  of  irony  stand 
to  me  in  the  relation  of  father  and  mother,  but 
their  fatuous  imbecility — I  can  really  call  it  by  no 
other  name — has  at  last  assumed  such  colossal  pro- 
portions, that  companionship  with  them  is  impos- 
sible to  me.  I  cannot  remain  any  longer  under  the 
same  roof  with  them.  It  is  positively  sapping  my 
vitality. 

Jopp.  You  don't  say  so  ? 

JuxoN.  I  assure  you,  Jopp,  the  constant  en- 
deavour for  the  last  six  months  to  root  out  from  my 
father's  mind  the  pernicious  doctrines  of  protection 


86  JUDAH  ACT  iir 

and  reciprocity  has  been  nothing  less  than  martyr- 
dom to  me — martyrdom  ! 

[  Wipi)ig  his  forehead  in  an  agony  of  recollection. 

Jopp.  \^Good-humoureJly?\^  Give  him  up  as  a  bad 
job. 

JuxoN.  I  really  must.  In  fact,  it  is  with  that 
view  that — \_Glancing  at  Sophie.] — I  have  ap- 
proached Miss  Jopp  with  overtures — [^Glancing  a 
little  nervously  at  her.^      Have  I  not  ? 

Sophie.  \_Looking  straight  at  her  father.^  Mr. 
Prall  and  I  intend  to  marry  shortly,  father. 

Jopp.  \Jumps  up  from  his  seat.]  What  the  dev — 
what  ? 

Sophie.  My  dear  father,  pray  control  yourself. 
There  is  surely  no  reason  for  any  intemperance  of 
speech  or  feeling  !  Juxon  and  I  have  thoroughly 
made  up  our  minds.  [Loohing  at  him  very  firmly 
and  straight^  tvith  great  determination^  You  surely 
don't  propose  to  offer  any  resistance. 

Jopp.  \_Looks  at  them  both  for  a  feiv  moments  j 
sees  she  is  determined.]  No.  \^Sits  dow?i. 

Sophie.  \_Sweetly?\  Thank  you.  Then  we  needn't 
remind  you  that  we  are  considerably  over  twenty- 
one. 

Jopp.  \^Sitting  serenely,  drops  into  a  good-humoured, 
indifferent,  ironic  tone.]     Been  engaged  long  ? 

Sophie.  Nearly  twelve  months. 

Jopp.   Got  anything  to  marry  on  ? 

Sophie.   Nothing  definite,  at  present. 

Jopp.   How  are  you  going  to  live  ? 


ACT  III  JUDAH  87 

Juxox.  I  have  various  things  in  contempla- 
tion. 

Jopp.  What  in  particular? 

Juxox.  When  I  was  making  arrangements  for 
my  cremation  the  other  day,  the  post  of  curator  to 
the  new  cremation  museum  was  offered  to  me,  with 
a  free  residence  overlooking  the  present  Necropolis. 
I  need  hardly  say  the  cremation  of — er — other 
people  would  be  a  superlatively  congenial  occupa- 
tion to  me. 

Jopp.  Then  why  didn't  you  take  it  ? 

JuxoN.  The  salary  was  so  deplorably  insuf- 
ficient. 

Jopp.  Anything  else  in  view  ? 

JuxoN.   ]\Iy  father  is  remarkably  well  off. 

Jopp.  Well,  won't  he  do  something  for  you  ? 

JuxoN.  [To  Jopp.]  Another  bitter  stroke  of 
irony  is  that  the  entire  result  of  my  six  months' 
incessant  argument  with  him  on  the  science  of 
political  economy  has  been  the  destruction  of  a 
will  in  which  he  left  me  half  his  property,  which  is 
now  made  over  to  institutions  whose  very  existence 
I  have  again  and  again  warned  him  are  plague-spots 
on  society. 

Jopp.  [Begi/is  ve/y  so/em/ify.]  Young  man.  [StoJ>s. 
Aside.']  No;  why  should  I?  [Turns  to  Sophie.] 
Sophie,  you've  quite  made  up  your  mind  to  marry 
this  gentleman  ? 

Sophie.  My  dear  father,  you  cannot  suppose  that 
in  a  matter  of  such  importance  as  marriage  I  should 


88  JUDAH  ACT  III 

have  spoken  before  I  had  made  up  my  mind,  or 
that  I  should  suffer  any  interference  from  a  third 
person. 

Jopp.  \^Shrugs  his  shoulders ;  calmly  accepts  the 
situation.^  All  right.  \^To  JuxoN,  very  solemnly.^ 
Young  man,  I  cannot  make  the  least  provision 
for  my  daughter ;  therefore  will  you  do  me  a 
favour  ? 

JuxoN.  Certainly,  if  it  doesn't  involve  any  sacri- 
fice of  principle. 

Jopp.  Would  you  oblige  me  by  immediately 
adopting  your  father's  views  on  political  econ- 
omy ? 

JuxoN.  \_Skakt's  his  head  obstinately. \  I  really 
can't  do  that — I  can't  indeed  ;  but — 

Jopp.   But  what  ? 

JuxoN.  But.  \^Looking  off.'\  Here  are  my  father 
and  mother  coming.  Sophie  has  told  me  what  you 
have  discovered  about  this  Miss  Dethic  and  her 
father. 

Jopp.  Indeed  !     Sophie  has  told  you — 

JuxoN.  Everything.  If  you  would  consent  to 
let  them  leave  Asgarby  without  any  public  exposure, 
I  think  I  could  so  arrange  matters  with  my  father 
that  he  would  make  ample  provision  for  my  future. 

Jopp.  What  do  you  mean  ? 

JuxoN.  Will  you  allow  me  a  few  minutes'  con- 
versation with  my  father  ?  I  will  make  my  propo- 
sals to  him,  and  bring  them  to  you  and  Miss  Jopp 
afterwards.     Will  you  permit  me  ? 


ACT  III  JUDAH  89 

Jopp.  You  will  not  commit  me  to  any  course  of 
action  ? 

JuxoN.  Not  in  the  least. 

Jopp.  Come  along,  Sophie. 

[^Exii  at  door.     Sophie  rises  and  foil ok's  him. 
As  they  go  off,  enter  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prall  by  window. 

Prall.  There  !     Those  Jopps  are  here  again  ! 

Mrs.  p.  Yes,  that  was  surely  that  dreadful  young 
person.  {Looking  after  Sophie. 

JuxoN.  My  dear  mother,  will  you  oblige  me  by 
refraining  from  comments  on  Miss  Jopp  ? 

Mrs.  p.  I  never  met  with  a  more  disagreeable 
girl  in  my  life.  I'm  sure  the  minx  knows  all  sorts 
of  horrid  things  that  she  shouldn't. 

JuxoN.  [JVit/i  his  sickly  smile  of  superiority?^  I 
have  myself  directed  Miss  Jopp's  studies,  and  I 
believe  I  am  acquainted  with  the  nature  and  extent 
of  her  knowledge  on  all  subjects. 

Mrs.  p.  I  am  ashamed  of  you,  Juxon,  to  en- 
courage an  unmarried  woman  in  those  dreadful  in- 
vestigations. 

JuxON.  She  did  not  require  any  encouragement. 

Mrs.  p.  I  dare  say  not. 

JuxoN.  So  far  as  I  can  judge,  the  young  women 
of  the  present  day  are  lamentably  ignorant  ;  they 
may  be  said  to  know  next  to  nothing. 

Prall.  Oh,  don't  they  ?      \Looking  at  newspaper, 

Juxon.  {Continuing  -with  his  sickly  smile.'\  I  have 
trained  Miss  Jopp  with  the  view  of  making  her  a 
fit  companion  for  life. 


90  JUDAH  ACT  HI 

Prall.  Companion  for  life — for  whom  ? 
JuxoN.  For  me,  or  for  some  man  of  equal  intel- 
lectual breadth  and  vigour. 

Prall.  Oh  !  and   is  it  to   be  you   or  the   other 
man  ? 

JuxoN.  It  is  to  be  distinctly  me.     We  marry  as 
soon  as  possible. 

Prall.  And  how  do  you  mean  to  live  ? 
JuxoN,  My  dear  sir — ^^Approaching  Prall] — 
seeing  that  you  are  responsible  for  bringing  me  into 
existence,  I  think  I  may  very  fitly  address  that 
question  to  you.  How  am  I  to  live  ?  Of  course — 
[  With  a  sickly  s?nile  of  supcriority\ — with  such  lit- 
erary and  scientific  attainments  as  mine,  we  couldn't 
possibly  starve. 

Prall.  Oh,    couldn't   you  ?     You    try ! 

[  Turns  away  and  sits  in  armchair. 
JuxoN.  But  with  your  large  fortune  it  is  incon- 
testably  your  duty — I  say  it  is  your  duty — to  pro- 
vide for  me  in  a  suitable  manner. 

Prall.  I  have  already  disposed  of  my  fortune 
between  your  brother  Jim  and  charities. 

JuxoN.  I  beg  you  will  reconsider  the  matter,  sir; 
as  if  I  am  thrown  on  my  own  resources  I  shall  be 
compelled  to   act  in  a  manner  that  would  be  ex- 
tremely disagreeable  to  you. 
Prall.  Oh,  how,  sir  ? 

JuxoN.  Jopp  and  I  have  discovered  the  whole 
history  of  these  Dethics.  The  man  was  a  profes- 
sional conjurer — Professor  Janus,  the  Wizard  of  the 


ACT  III  JUDAH  91 

East.  We  have  also  discovered  the  locksmith  who 
made  the  key  of  the  tower  rooms  for  Mr.  Dethic  ; 
we  have,  in  fact,  the  most  complete  evidence  of  the 
whole  imposture. 

Prall.  \^Taketi  aback^  Oh  !  And  what  do  you 
mean  to  do  ? 

JuxoN.  I  shall  firstly  write  a  letter  to  the  Times, 
explaining  how  your  peculiarly  illogical  intellect 
rendered  you  an  easy  victim  ;  I  shall  then  deal 
with  the  matter  in  the  reviews  and  magazines;  and, 
finally,  I  shall  begin  my  long-contemplated  work, 
"  The  History  of  Dupes,"  in  which  I  shall  deal  at 
length  with  you  as  the  most  notorious  example  of 
credulity  known  in  this  century.  In  the  mean  time 
Professor  Jopp  will  have  made  a  public  exposure  of 
the  girl  and  her  father. 

Prall.  [^Completely  overcome i\  Oh  !  You  are  go- 
ing to  do  this — when  ? 

JuxoN.  I  shall  write  to  the  Times  to-morrow, 
unless — 

Prall.  Unless  what  ? 

JuxoN.  Unless  you  relieve  me  of  the  necessity 
of  providing  for  my  future.  In  that  case  I  should 
persuade  Jopp  to  let  them  off,  and  I  should 
refrain  from  writing  my  history  of  your  de- 
lusions. Weigh  the  matter  carefully  and  let  me 
know.     I  wish  to  spare  you. 

[Goes  up  to  table,  takes  hat  and  stick. 

Prall.  [Seated?^  How  much  per  annum  would 
you  take  ? 


92  JUDAH  ACT   III 

JuxoN.  Sufficient  to  pursue  my  studies,  and  to 
provide  me  with  a  comfortable  home  at — at  some 
distance  from  your  residence.  \_Stopsj  speaks  ivith 
great  authority.^  Understand  me:  if  I  persuade  Jopp 
to  allow  this  affair  to  blow  over,  I  must  not  be  held 
to  condone  the  mistakes  and  misrepresentations  in 
your  book.  \^Goes  a  step  or  tiuo  further ;  then  stops 
again^  Nor  do  I  acquiesce  in  your  monstrous  the- 
ories of  reciprocity  and  protection.  ^Stoppi/ig  at 
door,  very  dictatorially.']     Understand  that  clearly  ! 

[Exit. 

Prall.  I  wish  I  had  sent  that  boy  to  sea  instead 
of  his  brother  Jim. 

Mrs.  p.  Jim  was  never  intellectual. 

Prall.  No,  thank  Heaven.  What's  to  be  done  ? 
If  there's  a  public  exposure,  what  will  become  of 
my  book  ? 

Mrs.  p.  You've  said  nothing  in  it  that  isn't  true. 

Prall.  No — at  least,  of  course  if  Jopp  has  been 
inquiring,  there's  no  telling  what  construction  may 
be  put  upon  my  truths. 

Mrs.  p.  Nobody  shall  ever  make  me  believe  the 
girl's  an  impostor.  James,  whatever  you  do,  don't 
you  withdraw  your  book  from  circulation. 

Prall.  [Firmly.']  I  won't.  After  all,  the  public 
is  the  best  judge.  They  like  it,  and  there's  a  new 
edition  just  coming  out. 

Mrs.  p.  I  wouldn't  alter  a  single  line. 

Prall.  [Fositii'ely.']  I  won't  ! 


ACT  III  JUDAH  93 

Mrs.  p.  Whatever  you  have  once  asserted,  never 
retract  it. 

Prall.    [Same  toue^   I  won't. 

Mrs.  p.  And  if  there  are  any  truths  that  are  at  all 
doubtful,  I  should  make  them  very  emphatic. 

Prall.  I  will — I  will — only — [Uneasily\ — if 
Juxon  writes  to  the  Times,  and  Jopp  proves  the 
girl's  an  impostor,  it  may  place  my  truths  in  a  very 
awkward  light. 

Mrs.  Prall.  Never  mind.  Repeat  them  over 
and  over  again,  and  in  the  end  some  one  will  be- 
lieve them. 

Prall.  [Anxiously.']  Yes  ;  but  it's  very  extra- 
ordinary how  many  truths  can  be  disproved,  you 
know  ;  and  if  there's  a  great  public  scandal, — 
Caroline,  for  the  sake  of  keeping  my  truths  untam- 
pered  with,  I  shall  make  Juxon  that  allowance. 

[Exeunt  by  window. 

Enter  Lord  A.  and  Jopp. 

Lord  A.  My  dear  Jopp,  this  is  a  most  welcome 
surprise.     You  are  going  to  stay,  of  course  ? 

Jopp.  No,  I've  come  on  business.  You  have 
still  got  those  Dethics  here  ? 

Lord  A.  Yes.  I've  kept  my  promise  to  the  girl. 
I'm  building  a  new  church  for  Mr.  Llewellyn,  and 
endowing  it.  The  deeds  are  to  be  signed  this 
morning. 

Jopp.  Then  I've  come  just  in  time.  You  must 
go  no  further,  Asgarby.     I  have  the  whole  history 


94  JUDAH  ACT  III 

of  these  people.     I  can  prove  the  father  an  impos- 
tor his  whole  life  through. 

Lord  A.  Of  course  he's  an  impostor  ;  but  Eve 
loves  the  girl,  and  has  made  me  promise  to  make 
her  a  settlement  on  her  marriage,  and — blame  me 
if  you  like,  Jopp — I  know  I'm  being  duped — I  know 
I'm  a  coward,  and  a  fool  perhaps — but  I  can't 
deny  Eve  anything.  When  I  think  she  is  the  last  of 
us,  and  in  a  few  years  I  may  be  left  alone — 

S^Breaks  down;  turns  away ;  hides  his  head. 

Lady  Eve  7-uns  on. 

Lady  E.  Oh,  here  you  are.  Professor  Jopp. 
Sophie  told  me  you  were  come.    You're  just  in  time. 

Jopp.  What  for,  Lady  Eve  ? 

Lady  E.  To  play  the  hypocrite  for  once,  will 
you  ? 

Jopp.  Certainly,  if  you  will  coach  me. 

Lady  E.  Well,  first  of  all  you  are  to  say  that  I  am 
quite  well  and  strong.     What's  the  matter,  father  ? 

Lord  A.  Nothing,  Eve,  nothing  ! 

Lady  E.  Tears!  [Z'6' Jopp.]  You've  been  telling 
him  I  shall  die. 

Jopp.  No,  Lady  Eve. 

Lady  E.  Well,  perhaps  I  shall ;  but  not  yet,  not 
while  my  dear  Vashti  is  near  me  to  keep  me  alive. 
[Jopp  laughsl\  You're  not  to  laugh,  Professor  Jopp. 
It's  true  !  Come,  father  ;  they  are  all  in  the  library, 
and  the  deeds  are  ready.  Where  shall  we  sign 
them  ? 


ACT  III  JUDAH  95 

Lord  A.  It  doesn't  matter  ;  anywhere. 

Lady  E.  Then  let  us  sign  them  here — here  where 
I  first  saw  Vashti  ;  and — [T^i^Jopp] — you  shall  be 
a  witness,  will  you  ?  \_Coaxi?igIy.'\  Just  to  please  me. 

Jopp.  To  please  you,  Lady  Eve,  I'd  witness  any- 
thing. 

Lady  E.  I  know  you  are  laughing  up  your  sleeve. 

Jopp.  No,  no,  Lady  Eve. 

Lady  E.  Yes.  You  think  it's  all  moonshine, 
don't  you  ? 

Jopp.  Certainly  not. 

Lady  E.  Yes,  you  do.  I've  read  your  books. 
But  what's  the  use  ? 

Jopp.  The  use  of  what  ? 

Lady  E.  Of  proving  all  the  fairy  tales  are  false  ; 
it  only  makes  the  children  unhappy. 

Jopp.  \_Taking  her  hands  very  tenderly.']  And 
the  grown-up  people  too.  [^Exit  Lady  Eve. 

Lord  A.  \^Gocs  up  to  him  very  anxiously. ]  What 
do  you  think  of  her  ? 

Jopp.   She's  certainly  better. 

Lord  A.  You  own  it.  And  she  will  get  well  ? 
There's  a  chance  of   her  livino-  to  old   age  ?     Tell 


me 


Jopp.  [  Very  quietly ?\  INIy  dear  Asgarby,  she  may 
live  some  years,  but  she  will  not  live  to  old  age. 

Lord  A.  Till  womanhood  ? 

Jopp.  Over  the  threshold,  perhaps. 

Lord  A.  And,  knowing  that  she  cannot  live 
longer,  you  ask  me  to  thwart  her — to  send  this  Miss 


96  JUDAH  ACT  III 

Dethic  away  ?  My  dear  Jopp,  you  say  you  have 
fresh  evidence  against  these  people —  [^Action  of 
remonstrance  from  Jopp.]  I  don't  want  to  hear  it. 
They  will  not  live  at  the  castle  after  next  week — 
\Gesture  of  remonstrance  from  Jopp.]  Let  me  go 
on  now.  I  can't  help  it,  Jopp — I  know  it's  only 
superstition  ;  I  know  there's  no  reason  for  it,  but  I 
feel  that  somehow  Eve's  life  does  depend  on  Miss 
Dethic —  \_Action  of  remonstrance  from  ]o'p-p.'\  At 
any  rate,  you  can  see  that  it  would  be  dangerous 
to  Eve  to  part  them. 

Jopp.  Yes,  there  would  be  a  danger  to  Eve. 

Lord  A.  Then  for  her  sake  you  will  spare  them, 
and  say  nothing  of  what  you  know  ? 

Jopp.  {^After  a  pause.\  Yes,  Asgarby,  I'll  spare 
them.  [Offers  hand. 

Lord  A.  [Shakes  his  hand  heartily^  Thank  you, 
Jopp,  thank  you.  I'll  just  go  and  see  where  these 
people  are,  and  we  will  get  the  deeds  signed  as 
soon  as  possible.  [Exit. 

Jopp.  [Alone.']  After  all,  why  not  believe  the 
fairy  tales  ?  Why  not  pretend  there  is  a  dryad  in 
every  tree,  and  a  nymph  in  every  brook  ?  Nymphs 
and  dryads  may  be  as  good  names  for  the  great 
secret  as  germ-plasms  and  protoplasms.  Perhaps 
there  is  no  great  secret  after  all.  [Looking  off.'] 
Here  comes  that  infernal  scoundrel  !  So  I  shall 
be  obliged  to  let  you  and  your  precious  daughter 
off  after  all,  shall  I  ? 


ACT  III  JUDAH  97 

Enter  D ethic  at  ^vindotv,  affable,  serene,  cheerful  as 
usual. 

Dethic.  [Holdifig  out  his  Itand.']  Ah,  how  do 
you  do,  my  dear  professor  ? 

Jopp.  How  do  you  do,  my  dear  /ro/essor  ? 

Dethic.  [S/tgMy  alarmed.]   Professor  ? 

Jopp.  A  title  I  share  with  you.  I  am  professor 
of  biology;  you  are  professor  of  the  art  of  making 
plum-puddings  in  other  people's  hats,  and  convey- 
ing other  people's  watches  and  coins  from  their 
pockets  into  yours.  [Dethic  looks  ghastly.  Jopp 
glances  at  his  own  watch-chain  ;  handles  it.]  Don't 
be  alarmed  !  I'm  sure  you  wouldn't  practise  on  a 
brother  professor. 

Dethic.  [brightened,  but  screwing  up  his  courage 
as  far  as  possible. '\  I  think  you  are  mistaking  me 
for— 

Jopp.  ^ome  oVatr  professor}  No,  professor,  I'm 
not.  Come,  own  up.  Professor  Janus.  [  Winks  at 
him  good-humouredly.]  What  made  you  give  up  the 
conjuring  business,  eh  ? 

Dethic.   \Pause?[  Well,  it  didn't  pay. 

Jopp.  Ah  !  then  you  had  to  turn  your  attention 
to  something  else. 

Dethic.  \_Trying  to  brazen  it  out.]  Look  here, 
let's  understand  one  another,  professor. 

Jopp.  Just  %o,  professor,  let  us. 

Dethic.  \^Very frrnily.]  Because  I  am  a  conjurer 
is  no  reason  that  I'm  not  an  honest  man. 


pS  JUDAH  ACT  HI 

Jopp.  No,  there  must  be  some  other  reason  for 
that. 

Dethic.  Eh  ? 

Jopp.  What  made  you  take  the  name  of  Dethic  ? 

Dethic.  Well,  I  had  to  take  some  name,  and  I 
— I  thought  Dethic  was  a  very  good  one. 

Jopp.  Capital  name  !  \^Co7}ies  up  to  him  ;  winks 
at  him  again.  Very  good-hu?noured,  very  quiet,  coax- 
ing tone^  How  did  you  manage  to  get  the  food  to 
her  for  the  first  twelve  days,  eh  ? 

Dethic.  \_Loud — ang7y^  How  dare  you  infer 
— how  dare  you  infer — 

Jopp.  [  Very  quiet  and  good-te}?ipered.'\  Come, 
come,  no  secrets  from  a  brother  professor,  you 
know.  Besides — [Quiet,  genial  whisper?^ — I've  got 
the  man  who  made  you  the  key. 

Dethic.  [^Turns  very  pale.']   No! 

Jopp.  Yes,  I  have.     Tozer,  you  know. 

Dethic.  Got  him — where  ? 

Jopp.  He's  here  in  the  village. 

Dethic.  \Collapses.  Very  humbly^  Oh,  profes- 
sor, you  won't  be  hard  on — on — 

Jopp.  On  a  brother  professor  ?  No.  I'm  going 
to  let  you  and  your  daughter  off  scot-free. 

Dethic.  \_Overjoyed^  What  !  You  are  !  Upon 
my  word  you're  really  the  noblest  man  I  ever  met 
in  all  my  life.  [  Very  heartily. 

Jopp.  On  one  condition. 

Dethic.  Anything — anything.    I  accept  it,  what- 


ACT  III  JUDAH  99 

ever  it  is.     I'm  so  grateful  to  you  there's  nothing 
I  wouldn't  do  for  you. 

Jopp.  You  sail  straight  away  to-morrow  for 
America  or  Australia. 

Dethic.  Either  !  America  or  Australia,  which- 
ever you  please — it's  immaterial.  Anything  else, 
professor  ? 

Jopp.  You  stay  there  for  the  rest  of  your  life. 

Dethic.  I  will.  I  give  you  my  word  of  honour  I 
will.     Anything  else,  professor  ? 

Jopp.  Yes.  As  I  am  deprived  of  the  pleasure  of 
dusting  your  jacket  in  public,  I  really  must  indulge 
myself  in  the  luxury  of  telling  you  in  private  that 
you  are  one  of  the  most  rascally  humbugs,  impos- 
tors, liars,  thieves,  and  swindlers  that  I  have  ever 
met !  And  you  may  thank  your  lucky  stars  that 
the  state  of  Lady  Eve's  health  doesn't  allow  me  to 
expose  you  as  you  deserve,  you  blackguard. 

[  Very  passionately. 

Dethic.  S^Takes  it  very  calmly.  After  a  pause.'\ 
Anything  else,  professor  ? 

Jopp.  Nothing  else,  professor. 

Dethic.  Then  I  suppose  I  may  take  the  liberty 
of  saying  au  revoir. 

Jopp.  You  may  take  the  further  liberty  of  saying 
adieu. 

Dethic  I  will.  Adieu,  professor.  \^Exit. 

Enter  Judah  at  windota. 

JuDAH.  [^Intensely  calm.]  Lord  Asgarby  asked 
me  to  wait  for  him  here. 


lOO  JUDAH  ACT  III 

Jopp.  He  is  in  the  next  room,  I  believe.  [Judah 
turns  up  stage  j  stands  for  a  mojnent  back  to  audience. 
Aside.]  He's  a  good  fellow,  and  he  loves  her.  I'm 
glad  it's  to  be  hushed  up.  Mr.  Llewellyn  !  [Judah 
turns  round,  intensely  calm.']  I  find  I  am  mistaken 
about  Miss  Dethic. 

Judah.  Mistaken  ! 

Jopp.  I  have  no  evidence  against  her.  I  wish 
you  and  your  bride  a  happy  future. 

Judah.  [Calm,  dreamy,  absorbed.]  Yes,  our  future 
will  be  happy. 

Jopp.  You  have  every  reason  to  think  so.  Mr. 
Dethic  will  leave  the  country,  and  you  will  begin 
your  new  life  without  a  cloud. 

Judah.  Yes.     Without  a  cloud  ! 

Jopp.  [Aside.]  He's  not  listening  to  me.  [Aloud.] 
I  say  that,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  Miss  Dethic 
will  be  quite  safe. 

Judah.  Thank  you.     Yes,  she  will  be  quite  safe. 

Jopp.  After  all,  there's  not  one  of  us  that  dares  to 
have  all  his  life  stripped  bare. 

Judah.  [Turns  and  looks  at  him.]  You  think 
not  ?  Do  you  suppose  there  is  anything  in  my  past 
life  I  would  not  show  to  you  and  to  all  the  world) 
when  it  is  already  known  where  no  secrets  can  be 
hidden  ? 

Jopp.  You  are  lucky  if  you  have  no  such  secrets, 
Mr.  Llewellyn. 

Judah.  I  have  none.  I  have  nothing  that  I  dare 
to  hide. 


ACT  III  JUDAH  lOl 

Jopp.   I  congratulate  you. 
Lord  A.  enters,  folloived  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prall. 

Lord  A.  Ah  !  [^Calling  off.']  Will  you  all  come 
this  way,  please  ? 

Enter  Morson  and  Granger  toith  papers,  followed 
by  Papworthy  and  tiuo  other  Trustees. 

Lord  A.  Now,  Granger,  the  deeds  of  gift. 
[Granger  gives  him  deed.]  And,  Morson,  will  yoti 
bring  the  plans  of  the  new  building  ?  Where  is 
Miss  Dethic  ? 

JuDAH.  She  is  waiting  on  the  terrace  outside. 
I'll  fetch  her. 

\^Exif  JuDAH.  He  returns  in  a  feiv  jnimites  with 
Vashti,  who  is  deeply  affected,  trembling, 
ashamed. 

Lord  A.  Papworthy,  I  shall  want  you  and  your 
brother  trustees  to  execute  the  deed.  Is  it  all  pre- 
pared ? 

Pap.  Everything.  There  is  nothing  to  do  but  to 
sign. 

E?iter  Judah  and  Vashti. 

JUDAH.  [^Speaking  ifi  a  loiv  tone  to  her.]  Have 
courage  !     It  will  soon  be  over. 

Lord  A.  Miss  Dethic,  Mr.  Llewellyn,  I  have  to 
beg  your  acceptance  of  a  marriage  present  from 
Lady  Eve  and  myself — the  grounds  on  which  your 
present  church  is  built,  ^20,000  for  rebuilding  it 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

SANTA   BATiCARA  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 


I02  JUDAH  ACT   III 

according  to  the  plans  that  Mr.  Morson  has  pre- 
pared, and  an  endowment  for  the  living  while  you 
shall  be  its  minister.  Will  you  look  over  the  deed  ? 
[Giz'i//g  it  to  /iim.]  Lady  Eve  will  be  here  in  a  min- 
ute. 

JUDAH.  Miss  Dethic  has  something  to  say  first. 
[To  Vashti.]  Speak!  Don't  be  afraid.  A  few 
bold  words  and  all  is  over.  Speak  !  I  am  beside 
you.     Nothing  can  harm  you — speak  !  [Pause- 

Vashti.  [Bo7ved  with  shame,  speaks  in  a  loiv, 
ashamed  voiee.]  Lord  Asgarby,  you  do  not  know 
me.  I  have  deceived  you  and  Lady  Eve.  I  came 
into  your  house  to  deceive  you — I  have  deceived 
all  who  believe  in  me.  I  have  no  supernatural 
powers.  It  has  been  all  a  pretence — a  falsehood 
from  beginning  to  end.  [Turns  to  Judah.]  I 
have  said  it — now  let  me  go. 

Judah.  [Taking  her  hand.'\  Stay  !  I  have  my 
share  of  the  burden  to  bear. 

Vashti.  No,  no  !  You  shall  not  !  Why  should 
you  sacrifice  yourself  ?  Lord  Asgarby,  do  not  hear 
him.  It  was  his  love  for  me  that  blinded  him.  He 
is  worthy  of  your  gift  and  of  your  friendship. 
Give  them  to  him,  and — think  no  more  of  me. 

Judah.  No,  your  guilt  is  mine.  I  claim  my 
share  of  it.  [To  Jopp.]  Put  the  oath  to  me  again 
that  you  put  that  night. 

Jopp.  What  do  you  mean  ? 

Judah.  Ask  me  if  I  knew  her  deceit — if  I  helped 
her   to    deceive.     Do    you  hear  ?     Quick  !    I  can't 


ACT  III  JUDAH  103 

sleep  at  nights.  I've  not  had  one  moment's  rest 
since.  My  food  is  bitter !  My  conscience  burns 
me  !  Oh,  quench  this  fire  !  Do  you  hear  ?  Put  me 
to  my  oath. 

Jopp.  Is  it  possible  ! 

JuDAH.  You  won't  ?  Then  hear  me,  hear  me, 
all  of  you  !  I  lied  !  I  lied  !  Take  back  my  false 
oath  ;  let  the  truth  return  to  my  lips  !  Let  my 
heart  find  peace,  and  my  eyelids  sleep  again  !  You 
all  know  me  now  for  what  I  am  ;  let  all  who  hon- 
oured me  and  followed  me  know  me  too.  Hide 
nothing  !  Let  it  be  blazed  about  the  city.  [I'at/se. 
To  Lord  A.]  Take  back  your  gift.  \^Gives 
deed  to  Lord  A.]  We  will  take  nothing  from  you  ! 
Nothing  !  Nothing  !  \Goes  to  Vashti.]  It's  done  ! 
{^Takes  her  hand.^  Our  path  is  straight  now;  we 
can  walk  safely  all  our  lives.  [  Taking  her  up  stage. 
Lord  A.  But  your  future — what  will  you  do  ? 
JUDAH.  Leave  this  place,  and  work  out  our  re- 
pentance together  in  some  place  where  we  are  not 
known. 

Jopp.  No,  Mr.  Llewellyn.  You  have  conquered 
yourself.  Stay  here,  live  down  your  fault,  amongst 
the  people  whom  you  have  deceived.  You  shall 
have  one  true  friend  as  often  as  I  am  here. 

Lord  A.  And  you  shall  have  another  friend  in 
me. 

JuDAH.  Vashti,  dare  you  stay  here  ?  dare  you 
face  those  who  know  you  ? 

Vashti.   [^Looking  at  him.'\  With  you,  yes. 


I04  JUDAH  ACT  III 

JUDAH.  Let  it  be  so.  But  I  am  not  fit  to  lead. 
I  resign  my  ministry,  but  we'll  stay  here  and  win 
back  the  trust  and  the  respect  of  those  who  know 
us. 

Jopp.  Bravo  ! 

Lady  Eve  rims  on. 

Lady  E.  [^Comes  dow?i  to  Vashti.]  Why  didn't 
you  tell  me  you  were  ready  ?  Where  are  the 
deeds  ?     Are  they  signed  ? 

JUDAH.  No,  Lady  Eve  ;  there  was  a  mistake  in 
the  title-deeds.  The  building-stones  were  not 
sound.  There  is  to  be  no  new  church.  [Lady  Eve 
shows  great  disappointment.^  Yes,  we  will  build  our 
new  church  with  our  lives,  and  its  foundation  shall 
be  the  truth. 

CURTAIN. 


PR 


J<3 


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